PIPEDREAM (2008)
Acrylic - 20" x 30"
From work progress to final painting
Source: michaelwhelan.com
DAWN JOURNEY (2010) by Michael Whelan
Acrylic - 14” x 11”
Every day offers the possibility of a new beginning.
The journey the title refers to is the freedom of mind. Through meditation, the women find that there is no limit to the architecture of the imagination.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
THE LEAVETAKING (1992) by Michael Whelan
Oil on Canvas - 18” x 48”
Michael planned for this piece to be a large “preliminary” to a new work in his Passage series that he would paint in oils. He doesn’t usually use models (he prefers to create a person who fits exactly into his scene) and he always paints alone, but he wanted the design of the robe on the sand to suggest the drawing of water back into the sea. To get the correct fall of the fabric, he had a model pose in his studio while he painted and the “preliminary” became the finished work.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
Progress shots from sketch to finished painting of LUMEN 9 by Michael Whelan.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
LANDING (2002) by Michael Whelan
Acrylic on Panel - 24” x 30”
This piece was born of a digital image from PASSAGE TO SANCTUARY, a series of three limited edition prints produced by Mithril Publishing in 1994. Created entirely on the computer, the prints were an experiment in new media. To maintain the integrity of the print run, the source files were destroyed after the images went to press, leaving no original art only fine reproductions of the images.
Unfortunately Mithril Publishing went out of business before the prints were fully distributed. Far less than the original print run of 555 ever made it to collectors.
Michael came back to the idea in 2002, producing a new painting of LANDING in more traditional media (acrylic on panel). Most notably he changed the figure in the foreground, which can be seen here in detail.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
SILVER TIDE (2006) by Michael Whelan
Acrylic on Canvas - 60” x 36”
Painted as I was turning 56 and pondering the intransigence of time. I swear I was not consciously thinking, “Time and Tide wait for no man!”
Source: michaelwhelan.com
THE MAD POET (1982) by Michael Whelan
Acrylics on watercolor board - 12 1/2” x 17 1/2”
Source: michaelwhelan.com
THE GLOAMING (1994) by Michael Whelan
Oils on canvas - 48” x 36”
I actually saw these clouds from my backyard late one summer evening, and they inspired me to come right inside and paint the scene. They didn’t look entirely real when I saw them, and the mysterious quality of the light made me want to document them in a larger project. As an experiment, I used a homemade medium that included plenty of poppyseed oil, for its non-yellowing properties. It’s also an extremely slow drier—it must have taken four weeks for the painting to dry to the touch.
Source: michaelwhelan.com
MOON’S WINDOW (2007) by Michael Whelan.
Acrylic on Panel - 5” x 7”
Source: michaelwhelan.com
