Meet Michael O’Guinn, a neo-expressionist artist who skillfully blends the emotive force of '50s and '60s Expressionism with a distinct contemporary urban touch. Having transitioned from photography to painting in 2021, O’Guinn’s work is characterized by spontaneous decisions that reflect the powerful emotions and musical influences he channels into each piece.

Artwork of Michael O’Guinn, courtesy of the artist.

O’Guinn draws heavily on the music that moves him, allowing genres ranging from punk and grunge to underground hip-hop to permeate his canvases. Reflecting on the ideas discussed by art critic Jerry Saltz in his book, O’Guinn strives to convey deep, raw truths through his art, much like the evocative expressions found in the performances of icons like Billie Holiday and Kurt Cobain. Through his art, O’Guinn aims to offer viewers a genuine, introspective look that connects on an emotional level.

His latest exhibition, "Sawleaf," currently showing at the Helena Mason Gallery in Santa Barbara through May 31, 2024, showcases his latest series of paintings. Here, O’Guinn continues to explore the visual and emotional interplay of bold colors and dynamic forms. His creations are visually stimulating and also meant to evoke feelings and provoke thought, underscoring his belief in the transformative power of art.

• You blend influences from '50s and '60s Expressionists with a modern urban aesthetic. What drew you to these artistic movements, and how do you keep your work engaging and relevant for today's audiences?

I was initially drawn to these painters based on the scale and color of the work. There is something magical about large abstracts that swallow you up or you get entirely lost in when you’re standing before them. I remember seeing a Joan Mitchell piece and saying to myself, “This. This is it. This woman is a badass talent and I want to do something like this.” I only look back to that movement (and also contemporary artists) for a feeling or sense of inspiration, and I hope to create my own world of cohesive works that hopefully have a distinct feel.

• Music plays a significant role in your artistic process. Could you talk about how specific genres or artists have influenced your recent pieces, and mention any tracks that have been particularly inspiring?

I traveled up to Seattle recently with my wife and son and found so much inspiration through the sites/scenes and the joy of experiencing it with my favorite people. We went to the MoPop museum and soaked in the history of punk/grunge culture, ate at the best little French restaurant called Le Pichet, and walked the city, checking out the gritty cityscape. My paintings are often driven by the feel of music I'm listening to and the music born out of the PNW has always been a major source of inspiration. Moody greens, misty whites and drips, black spray paint and rough textures often fill my canvases; something that mirrors the refined grunge of Seattle. I left the city filled with inspiration and painted 10 paintings in two weeks once I was back in the studio. I tend to work in bursts when I'm moved to create, and February/March was a productive period for me. I've been into the punk/grunge stuff from the late '80s since that trip. I've also been listening to some underground hip-hop/rap, Aesop Rock and this awesome performance artist I recently found called The Buttress. She dropped an album called "Endofunctor" recently that I had on loop while making a lot of recent work. It's all pretty visceral stuff lately that's been fueling the creative process and impacting the aesthetic of what I'm putting out.

• With your busy exhibition schedule, what can viewers expect from your upcoming shows, and how do these reflect the latest evolutions in your artistic style?

I’ve been creating two bodies of work lately. Both series have common denominators that give them continuity, but they are aesthetically different overall. One is characterized by heavily saturated colors and bold mark making, while the other is a bit softer, focusing on layering and texture. Drip work and particular markings I use unite the series. I recently placed one of each in a space and the collector liked that they felt like work from two different artists almost. My next body of work will focus on large scale pieces that are in my more delicate series called "Coalesce." I’m excited to work on some literally big stuff next month.

• Jerry Saltz discussed the importance of capturing moments of raw truth in art. How do you approach this in your paintings, and could you provide an example from a recent work?

It's a memoir of sorts by New York Magazine writer Jerry Saltz. It explores the history of art Saltz has seen and been inspired by (or not) over the past 40 years or so. There's one quote that stuck out to me that ties into what I try to do and how I've felt this past month. He was writing about raw/visceral art that moves you, whether visual, musical, whatever. He mentioned Billie Holiday, Dolly and Kurt Cobain, noting “It’s the sight or sound of someone turning himself inside out, so that one of the selves inside can momentarily appear. When someone renders something this raw this well, it begins a journey into forever.” When I was in Seattle, I went back to exploring a lot of Cobain's early music along with other punk/grunge bands of the late ’80s and felt these glimpses Saltz was talking about. It's a feeling you get when you know someone is really putting all of themselves out there in a moment, and when I see or hear that, it inspires me to create. For me, that's true art, the ability to make others want to make stuff (in any medium). Recently, I placed a painting in an amazing Santa Barbara house overlooking the ocean. I don’t remember making that painting. I wasn’t intoxicated while I made it, but I entirely lost myself in the moments of creating it and have no recollection of making the thing. Those moments are the ones where I make good, honest work. Here’s an image of the installed work:

• Considering the strong relationship between fashion and visual arts, how does fashion impact your creative decisions, and are there any exciting collaborations coming up?

I love fashion and design. The textures and worlds that fashion designers create are so inspiring. Sterling Ruby is one of my favorite contemporary artists and he’s crossed over to design, somewhat recently doing a show at Couture Week in Paris. That kind of talent and vision is so inspiring to me. I’ve worked with Christian Siriano recently, placing paintings in his interior design client’s spaces and one in his personal atelier. It’s really fun to make those connections and cross over industries with talented people who I draw inspiration from. I have three recent fashion collaborations that I’m excited about. I’ll be doing something with Wax London in the next couple of weeks, featuring some of their new line in a gallery space by my paintings. I recently connected with Southern California clothing lines Imperfects (San Diego) and East/West Stuff (Los Angeles). Both are amazing companies run by some seriously cool/grounded people. I’m in talks with Imperfects about doing a custom line with some of my original artwork on their clothing that they’ll feature in their new headquarters in San Diego. Here are some shots of recent collaborations:

• What impact do you hope your art will have on the art community and society at large?

Art is interesting because it’s so subjective and received differently by every person. My belief is this. Art itself (particularly abstract art) does not cure the world’s problems, but my belief is that glimpses of vulnerability or visceral commentary put onto a canvas is symbolic of being able to really see each other, and feel something. That’s where the meaning comes in for me.

• What new artistic methods or themes are you excited to explore in your future projects? Are there particular social issues you plan to address? • How have your personal experiences influenced your approach to art, and how do you anticipate this will evolve in your future works?

I have a series called “Illicit Mergers,” which is a term I heard in a podcast when describing art that incorporates elements that are seemingly not meant for one another (not meant to merge). In the literal sense, the mediums I use on these paintings reflect that notion. The base of them is made using oil or acrylic fine art paints. I finish the paintings by aggressively dumping primer on them to make drip marks, almost defacing the work in a calculated way, forcing a pedestrian medium over something fancy. That method is a little different than what most of my colleagues are doing, I think. On the conceptual side of things, the series was born out of the idea that certain societal ideas or cultures are often frowned upon before we progress as a society and accept a new norm (paradigm shifts). At the time I started the series, an LGBTQ+ crosswalk (rainbow colored, installed by local high school students) was removed after one day of being displayed because certain small-minded bigots made a lot of noise about it. I live in a pretty split area with progressive, open-minded people and some folks with fairly narrow world views. The removal of that crosswalk, along with a couple of other similar events around that time (e.g., a flag burning) really pissed me off. The idea that LGBTQ+ is “illicit” is just flat out ridiculous and ugly. I’m an ally to them. My series, Illicit Merger is becoming a full spectrum rainbow when you place the works together. Each color is typically sold to its own collector, but as a whole, I’m covering the gamut. I don’t usually work conceptually like this, and this is actually the first time I’ve shared why I started the series. It would be kind of funny and fitting if someone who reads this and owns one of the paintings gets peeved off by its origin story; maybe it would make them think a bit and progress perhaps. One can hope.

Meet Michael O’Guinn

Digital as Mirror of Our Souls

AI Muse