Artist
Happy New Year 2023
Hello from Mihalyo Studios. I hope this message finds you well.
Below are some activities that have kept me occupied recently.
The Clatsop-Nehalem Mural Restoration
For the last four months I have been working on a large scale mural restoration project for the Clatsop-Nehalem tribes of Northwest Oregon. This 600sf public-art mural was originally created in 2008 by Roger Cooke (1942-2012) who painted more than 60 murals across the country. Many in Oregon State. In 2021 the mural was damaged in a car accident and removed from the wall on which it resides in downtown Seaside and shipped to Seattle for repairs.
An article about the project written in June 2022 can be read at The Seaside Signal HERE
Nearly every inch of this mural needed repairs.
The substrate is Aluminum Composite Material (or Dibond). It is a relatively new product on the market and requires specialty products to repair damaged material. In this case each panel had metal corrosion on both sides, as well as dents, scratches, graffiti and holes. I developed experiments and solutions for each step of the restoration process with the goal of extending the life of the mural another 15-20 years.
Roger Cooke worked with color differently to my studio practice. His use of black mixed into every color was masterful. While restoring his mural I was surprised how effective and efficient his color work was. It has been ten years since his passing and he has a new student in me.
This mural returns to its original location on the Ace Hardware building in Seaside Oregon at Broadway and Holliday Dr. in the spring of 2023. Donations towards the project can be made at their GoFundMe page HERE and will help with installation and ongoing maintenance.
Our last public viewing in Seattle before delivery to Seaside will be held on Saturday Feb 18th, 2023. 2-6pm.
Location:
119 Prefontaine Pl. S,
Seattle WA 98104
The Mannequin Returns
In 2014 I was commissioned to paint a mannequin for a collector. Later it was placed in storage and eventually acquired by someone with another storage unit.
One day a received a call and was asked if I wanted it back. I did. Although scratched and dirty, I spent some time repairing it and added a few new details. It is difficult to find full body mannequins in good shape these days. I’ve had a lot of fun placing this mannequin in various locations and scenes.
Oh, the places we will go. Maybe even the carpool lane.
SeArtNow
In July of 2022 a web based project I’ve been working on titled SeArtNow went live.
SeArtNow.com includes current listings, exhibitions and maps of the regional arts community in Puget Sound. This is a one stop place to find your way around the visual art scene there.
The Seattle Art Dealers Association facilitates the project and hired me to build and maintain it monthly. My focus is on backend and publishing operations as all design-work was established when I came onboard. Plans for expansion are underway. Its a challenging project with many participants and lots of potential. For me this project is a culmination of decades building and maintaining web sites for art galleries and artists in the Puget Sound area.
Happy Lunar New Year of the (Water) Rabbit.
Stay safe out there.
Jeff