[ad_1]
On the east side of Route 101, in the quaint Neskowin neighborhood, a former one-room schoolhouse sits majestically on a hill, beckoning passersby with a grand entrance.
The 100-year-old school is now a modern gallery and studio, where artist Michael Schlicting paints and sells his work. Just as the buildings are filled with bright colors of perennials and shrubs, so are the galleries. A summary of the nearby Proposal Rock, vibrant fish in a turquoise ocean, Tuscan vineyards and the colorful sky over the Pacific all hang harmoniously in this small, open space.
Inside, the reception is warm. “I really enjoy dealing with the public,” Schlitting said. “Drawing is lonely…it’s all in your own head. I’ve always loved feedback and reactions. It’s fun talking to people.”
Born and raised in Neskowin, Schlicting grew up in a family that encouraged creativity. When he walked into his Art 101 class in college, he said it felt good. “I just got it,” he said. “It’s not that I have any unusual abilities. I just understand the process and how to do it.”
A longtime basketball player, Schlitting was one of the top small college players in the country, going through the Portland Trail Blazers’ rookie camp and playing competitively in the World Masters basketball tournament until the pandemic. . Being successful in sports and in the arts is really the same mindset, he said. “You have to enjoy the practice, you have to enjoy the process.”
Schlicting made a living as an artist after graduating from college. He painted almost exclusively in watercolor for about 15 years, then after a trip to Chile in the mid-90s, he wanted to create larger works and explore the shapes and colors of acrylics. He was also inspired by a trip to Italy.
To put it objectively, Schlitting’s work includes more than 3,000 paintings in a variety of styles, but he says his creative process is very organic. Each painting emerges from an emotional response to what he sees or experiences and makes itself more representative or abstract. “Each painting guides me,” he said. “I’m not interested in recreating a painting of a photograph. Every painting is an act of discovery. That’s what makes it fun and keeps it interesting.”
His grandparents bought the schoolhouse in the 1960s and turned it into a house. After his grandfather died, his parents made it a rental, and Schlitting and his then-wife lived there for a summer in 1978, where they both sold their art. He eventually bought the place and remodeled it several times. “Forty-four years later, I’m still here.”
Schlitting spends most of his time exploring and experimenting with his art, but the emotion he puts into it is consistent. “It’s not that I want to arouse the emotions of the audience,” he said. “But when the audience gets emotional, even if it’s not my idea, I make it. It’s powerful.”
Hawk Creek Gallery is open 7 days a week from 11am to 5pm until September. Original paintings, as well as prints and note cards, are on sale. Schlicktin’s 2018 book “Proposal Rock: 40 Years of Painting by Michael Schlicktin” is now in print for the second time and is also available.
He is currently working on several commissions and often works on several paintings at the same time. He says staying away from everyone for a while prevents blockages and keeps his thoughts flowing.
Schlicting said he was fortunate to have a lot of help along the way, including mentors, clients and supporters. “My efforts are basically just showing,” he said modestly. “I’m so thankful for people’s support, so grateful that people love my work. That’s the bottom line.”
Over the years, Schlitting has won important prizes in many national and international painting competitions. His paintings are in more than 2,500 public, corporate and private collections around the world.
Visit the Eagle Creek Gallery at 4800 Schoolhouse Road, Neskowin, or call 541-230-8181.For more information about the artist, please visit Michaelschlicting.com And follow ArtOfMichaelSchlicting on Facebook.
[ad_2]
Source link