Michael Orwick

Michael Orwick majored in Illustration at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, Oregon, where. he discovered that oil painting and the method of working from dark to light "worked with my backwards brain," referring to his childhood, when his parents "realized that I had dyslexia and that I saw things differently from most." Michael accepted an internship with Will Vinton Studios (now Laika Studio), but, true to the predictions of his professors, after a few years as an illustrator, his true passion as an oil painter prevailed. He began his career as a full-time oil painter fifteen years ago.

Michael was blessed with a nearly immediate collector base that found something in his work that resonated with them. When he was not illustrating books, he found that his whimsical images and landscapes could also be very illustrative. Michael says, "I love creating art that invites you on a journey to form a story and explore your world within."

Throughout his life, Michael feels fortunate in that he has been able to know beauty and comfort, laughter and joy. These are a few of the things he hopes to impart through his brushes: "As a painter, the effects of light and atmosphere are what I remember about a location and what inspires me most. Light transforms the ordinary or even beautiful into the exceptional. My quest is to capture these fleeting moments and help people see things again through new eyes."

Studio Everywhere: A few years ago my wife, our daughter and I took the year off from "real life" to travel the world. We visited twenty-one countries and painted with over 500 inspiring children from various orphanages and schools as part of our cause, which we called Studio Everywhere. This year it is my goal to reflect on that trip and create works of art that celebrate that special chapter in our lives.

 

 

BACKGROUND: ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AWARDS, ETC

Education

BFA Illustration – Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR, May 2000

Art Courses and Business Studies – University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 1995-96

 

Entrepreneurial History 2000-14

Orwick ARTS, LLC, Beaverton, OR, 2007- Present

Oregon Children’s Theatre Illustrator, 2007-2009

Orwick Illustration, Hillsboro, OR: Freelance Artist, 2001-2007

Will Vinton Studios, Portland, OR: Storyboard Artist, Intern, 1999

 

Teaching

Painting Teacher, Oregon Society of Artist 2014

Ongoing Yearly 2008-2014 Three and five day workshops in Cannon Beach Oregon and beyond

Art Instructor at Clark College, Oil Painting, Vancouver, WA, 2008-2013

Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, Hillsboro, OR, 2003-2011

Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Arts Teacher, kindergarten through adult, Hillsboro, OR, 2000-2003

Heritage Arts Studio, North Plains, OR, 2002-2003

Pacific Northwest College of Art Portland, OR, 2002

 

Shows and awards

2014

2 paintings selected as Finalists, January Raymar 9th annuel Fine Art Competition

Judge, Gateway to Sedona Fine Art Competition

3rd Place, Gamblin Oil paints award, Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competion Hood River

New Gallery representaion Brian Marki Fine Art – Palm Springs, CA

New Gallery representaion Angel Gallery Fine Art Coeur d'Alene, ID

First Place Cannon Beach Plein Air and More Art Competion Judged by SW Art Magazine

DragonFire Studios & Gallery Stormy Weather Winter Unveiling Art Festival, Cannon Beach, OR with permanent exhibit

Rip Caswell Gallery, Featured Artist

Dragon Fire Gallery, Featured Artist

Spring Unveiling and Stormy Weather Arts Festival

Cole Gallery Group Show, Edmonds, WA January 1 - 30, with permanent exhibit

Anniversary Group Show The Gallery At The Watershed, Eugene OR

 

2013

Judge, Raymar 8th annuel Fine Art Competition

SouthWest Art Award Cannon Beach Plein Air and more.

First Place, Cannon Beach Plein Air and more.

New Gallery representaion Gallery 903 – Portland, OR

Rip Caswell Gallery, Featured Artist

DragonFire Studios & Gallery Stormy Weather Winter Unveiling Art Festival, Cannon Beach, OR with permanent exhibit

Spring Unveiling and Stormy Weather Arts Festival

Cole Gallery, Featured Artist, Edmonds WA

Cole Gallery Group Show, Edmonds, WA January 1 - 30, with permanent exhibit

Oil Painters of America, National 2013 Juried Salon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey, MI

Two person show, The Gallery At The Watershed, Eugene OR

Group Show, Plein Air Art Elements Gallery, Newberg Gallery

Best Mountain, Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competion Hood River Sept

 

2012

New Gallery representaion, Tetons Gallery, Jackson Hole WY

3rd Place Hillsboro Plein Air June

DragonFire Studios & Gallery Stormy Weather Winter Unveiling Art Festival, Cannon Beach, OR with permanent exhibit

Cannon Beach Plein air June

Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competion Hood River Sept

Rip Caswell Gallery Plein Air invitational

Rip Caswell Gallery, Featured Artist

Dragon Fire Gallery, Featured Artist

Spring Unveiling and Stormy Weather Arts Festival

Cole Gallery, Featured Artist

Freed Gallery

Salon International, Green House Gallery

Art On Broadway, Special Guest

Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competion Hood River Sept

 

2011

New Gallery representaion, Art Elements Gallery, Newberg, OR

Pinot & Palette: Art of Michael Orwick | Art of Pinot Noir, May 20 – June 18, 2011
Art Elements Gallery, Newberg, OR

DragonFire Studios & Gallery Stormy Weather Winter Unveiling Art Festival, Cannon Beach, OR with permanent exhibit
with exhibits at Sokol Blosser, Anne Amie Vineyard & Vista Hills Vineyard

Cole Gallery Group Show, Edmonds, WA January 1 - 30, with permanent exhibit

Terpin Gallery Jackson Hole Wyoming

Jackson Fall Arts Festival, Jackson Hole Wyoming

Hillsboro Plein Air June

Cannon Beach Plein air June

Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competion Hood River Sept

Rip Caswell Gallery Plein Air invitational

Rip Caswell Gallery, Featured Artist

Dragon Fire Gallery, Featured Artist

Spring Unveiling and Stormy Weather Arts Festival

Cole Gallery, Featured Artist

Freed Gallery

Salon International, Green House Gallery

 

2010

New Gallery representaionTerpin Gallery, Jackson Hole, WY

New Gallery representaion, Rip Caswell Gallery, Troutdale, OR

Oil Painters of America (OPA) National Exhibition, Legacy Gallery, AZ

Rip Caswell Gallery, Featured Artist: It’s A Woman’s World
Works added to Caswell Permanent Collection

Newberg Gallery, Newberg OR — ongoing exhibit

Art On Broadway Gallery, April Featured Artist, Beaverton, OR

DragonFire Studios & Gallery Spring Unveiling Art Festival, Cannon Beach, OR with permanent exhibit

Featured Artist, Cole Gallery group show, Edmonds, WA, April 1 – 30 with permanent exhibit

Whimsy, Columbia Art Gallery, Hood River, OR, March 5 - 28

Cole Gallery Group Show, Edmonds, WA January 1 - 30, with permanent exhibit

Hillsboro Plein Air June

Cannon Beach Plein air June

Pacific Northwest Plein Air Competion Hood River Sept

 

2009

Two-person show, Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, Hillsboro, OR
December – January

January Group Show, Studio West, Eugene OR

Unveiling of Lebanon Oregon Public Library Commission (three 4x6 foot landscape paintings), Lebanon, OR, December

QuickDraw Event, Tolovana Inn, Cannon Beach, OR, November

Stormy Weather Festival & Unveiling, DragonFire Studios & Gallery, Cannon Beach, OR, November

Three-person show, Newberg Gallery, Newberg OR, November

Invitational QuickDraw at the Allison Hotel, Newberg, OR, October

Two-person show, Cole Gallery, Edmonds, WA

Pacific Northwest Plein Air Show, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR, August

Lake Oswego Art Festival, Lake Oswego, OR, Award: Awakening, Fishhawk Lake, August

The Allison Hotel, 6 paintings permanent collection, Newberg, OR, July

Solo show at Freed Gallery, Lincoln City, OR

Plein Air in Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach, OR, June

Spring Unveiling, DragonFire Studios and Gallery, Cannon Beach, OR (permanent)

 

2008 - 2006

2008 – Featured Artist at Valley Arts, Forest Grove, OR

2008 – New artist show at Cole Gallery, Edmonds, WA (on permanent display)

2008 – Freed Gallery Landscape show (on permanent display), Lincoln City, OR

2008 – Kingstad Gallery, Beaverton, OR (Guest artist)

2007 – Salon International, Green House Galley, TX

2007 – Featured Artist at City Arts, Portland OR

2007 – Beaverton Arts Show Case, Beaverton, OR

2007 – Cube Gallery, Beaverton, OR

2007 – Studio 2 Gallery, Tigard, OR

2007 – Ann Amie Vineyard, Dundee, OR

2007 – Urban Wine works, McMinnville, OR

2006 – Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, Hillsboro OR

2006 – Mount Hood Hospital – Art Commissions – Gresham, OR

2006 – Oregon Plein Air Show, Beaverton, OR

2006 – Hood River Plein Air Show, Hood River, OR

2006 – Oswego Lake Gallery Landscape Show, Lake Oswego, OR

2006 – Beaverton Arts Show Case, Beaverton, OR

2006 –1st Place & Best in Show, Newberg Harvest Festival Art Show, Newberg, OR

2005 - 03

2005 – DragonFire Studio and Gallery, Cannon Beach, OR

2005 – Beaverton Arts Show Case, Beaverton, OR

2004 – Mythic Journeys Show, Atlanta, GA

2005 – Best in Show– Newberg Harvest Festival, Newberg, OR

2005 – Lebanon Clinic commission painting, Lebanon, OR

2004 – North Plains Public Library art commission, North Plains, OR

2004-2006 – Modern Masters of Fantasy, San Diego, CA

2004 – 1st place at the Newberg Harvest Festival Art Show, Newberg, OR

2004 – Yoshida’s Fine Art Gallery, Portland, OR

2003 – North Beach Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2003 – Art Work Gallery, New York, NY

2003 – PNCA Alumni Show, Portland, OR

2003 – Studio 2 Gallery, Sherwood, OR

2002 - 1999

2002 – First Place, Emerging Artist Competition, GA

2002 – Duirwaigh Gallery, GA 2002-2006

2002 – Yoshida’s Fine Art Gallery, Portland, OR 2002

2002 – Solo Show at Billy Reeds, Portland, OR 2002

2002 – Hillsboro Festival of the Arts, Hillsboro, OR 2001

2001 – 1st Thursday in the Pearl “Street Show,” Portland, OR

2001 – Fine Arts and Wine Festival, Beaverton, OR

2001 – Beaverton Mall Gallery, Beaverton, OR

2001 – Beaverton City Hall, America, Beaverton, OR

2001 – Lebanon Hospital, Lebanon, OR

2001 – 1st Thursday in the Pearl, Portland, OR

2000 – PNCA Juried Painters Show, Portland, OR

2000 – PNCA Illustrators, Portland, OR

2000 – PNCA Thesis Show, Portland, OR

1999 – Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) Student Show, Portland, OR

Workshops (Oil Painting | Plein Air)

Cannon Beach Oil Painting Workshop, March 2011 and 2012

Painting Coastal Color & Light, June 2011 and 2013

Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce – 3-day Workshop, March 2010

** Landscape Techniques in Oil Emerald Art Center, Springfield, [month] 2010

** Firesign Oil Painting Workshop, Quadra Island, BC, [month] 2010

 

Publications & Media

SW Art magaine 2014

Plein Air magazine 2014

Outdoor Painter “Father and Daughter Teach Each Other about Art” 2014

Outdoor Painter “Why it Works” 2013

American Art Collector Magazine 2013 two times.

American Art Collector Magazine 2012

Color and Aroma, May 2010

American Art Collector Magazine, May 2010
Article in the Cannon Beach Gazette

Cannon Beach Citizen, March, 2010, “Love at First Sight,” Cannon Beach, OR

American Art Collector Magazine, February 2009

Cannon Beach Gazette, Cannon Beach, OR, November, 2009

KOIN Local 6, Portland, OR, November 19, 2009

Albany Democrat Herald, Albany, OR, December 6, 2009

Eugene Register Guard, Eugene, OR, December 11, 2009

Oregon Children’s Theatre posters and promotional materials, 2007-2009

Tori Amos Rainn Calendar and Auction, 2008

Cannon Beach Gazette, Cannon Beach, OR, November, 2008

Aphrodisia: Art of the Female Form, 2006

Enter the Duir, Film and book for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, 2005

Oregonian, Interview, Portland Open Studios, Beaverton, OR, 2005

Breathe a Great Fire, Hopper Press, Portland, OR (publication pending), 2005

Modern Masters of Fantasy Epilogue press and CD, 2004

Blue Beads, a Story of Friendship, published April 2004 and reprinted 2005

Hillsboro Argus, Interview, Hillsboro, OR, 2003

Crystal and Glass in the Irish Forest, Laura Boitano Productions, 2003

Society of Children’s Book Writes and Illustrators, Interview, Bob Griggs, 2003

Fairies (book), Bastion Press, 2003

The Oregonian, Interview, Portland, OR, 2002

Hillsboro Argus, Interview, Hillsboro, OR, 2002

 

Memberships & Affiliations

LAPAPA, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association

Oil Painters of America

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

Oregon Plein Air Society

Oregon Society of Artists

Hillsboro Community of Arts, Hillsboro, OR

Beaverton Arts Commission, Beaverton, OR

 

Charitable Events

Robert’s Snow: for Cancer’s Cure. Sarcoma Research at Dana-Faber

Friends of the Children, Portland Branch

The SMART program

The Catlin Gable School

St. Mary’s Home for Boys, Beaverton

Beaverton Arts Commission

The Audubon Society of Oregon

The Glenn and Viola Walters Art Center, Hillsboro

Artist against hunger, Oregon Food Bank

Rotary Club in Bend, OR

 

Learn more about Michael Orwick, his accomplishments, workshops and more! Visit www.MichaelOrwick.com.

And find out how to participate in upcoming workshops. Visit:

https://www.michaelorwick.com/workshop/24584/summer-plein-airhttps://www.michaelorwick.com/workshop/24584/summer-plein-air
https://www.michaelorwick.com/workshop/24060/painting-the-oregon-coast