Welcome to Magic Bear Art-Whimsical and festive art by Michael Jones.
"When I started to paint, I decided not to worry if I was "good" or not. I just knew I wanted to create. And I wanted my paintings to be colorful, vibrant, happy, and magical. There was....and is....so much sadness and darkness in the world. I wanted to inspire smiles and joy with my work."
Magic Bear Art painting featured on the new album by Laurel Zucker & Allison Franzetti!
My very first album cover! Unbeknownst to me, the world-renowned flutist Laurel Zucker was an admirer of my work. She contacted me in the summer of 2022 and commissioned me to do a painting for an album she was working on called "Night at the Opera." She said she wanted bold, colorful, and vibrant, with an image that evoked music, a piano, and a flute.
It took me many weeks to come up with the idea, until I drove past a piano store in Williamsburg and saw their sign out front. It looks very much like the piano on the album cover! I am extremely proud of this work of art, as I know Laurel is as well.
I am flattered and honored that my artwork is being used to accompany such beautiful music, which is now available for you to download and listen to!
Laurel and I plan on collaborating on many more projects in the future, so stay tuned for more!
Focus on Art - "It Might As Well Be Spring"
I really had no idea where I was going with this when I started painting. With spring all around me, I was inspired by all the floral patterns I was seeing on flags, on mailbox covers, and of course, in Nature herself, and I somehow wanted to capture it.
It started out with blue splotches on a white canvas. Then I decided to add in some purple. Then came the magenta. Followed by some pink. I thought it looked too heavy, so I added some more white to lighten it up. It still didn't feel done, so I walked away for a bit.
I had started working on another painting using some very pale green paint. I thought it might look good in this picture, so I added a few touches here and there. And I loved the effect! So I watered down the green paint and applied a thin layer of it across the entire painting.
I still wasn't sure if it was done, so I showed it to my best friend. He said it was fantastic, and to not touch it again! His husband even went so far to say that it was the best painting I had ever done.
No sooner had I posted the image to my social media page when my sister contacted me, wanting to purchase it. Immediately followed by two other people who wanted to purchase it!
I call it "It Might As Well Be Spring," based on the song by Rodgers and Hammerstein from their musical "State Fair." As I was trying to come up with a good name for the picture, that song popped into my head.
I plan to do a whole series of paintings in this style, using different color combinations. Stay tuned for more!
Focus on Art - "Amethyst Blooms"
Here I am posing with my "Amethyst Blooms" painting. I started out last year at the Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival. Like the other painting I created, "Derry & Geri's Floral Love Boat," this was also done as a way to replicate a previous painting.
It is based on a painting I did many years ago called "Spring's Lingering Kiss." Pictured at right. It is in the private collection of my sister.
And I am happy to report that "Amethyst Blooms" has found a happy home with a local art collector who thinks it will look perfect in her kitchen!
2022: A Magical Year: Looking Back
The year 2022 was an extraordinary one. There were several shows, exhibits, and my first time being published in international art magazines!
Please enjoy looking back at some of the highlights of 2022. I am sure there will be more magical adventures ahead in 2023!
Events & Workshops - Coming Soon
Coming Soon
I am currently exploring the possibility of conducting workshops and parties for individuals and groups. Contact Me for more information.
LOOK FOR MAGIC BEAR ART IN YOUR COMMUNITY!
