UF BFA Shows: Micah Lomel

I make paintings in a search for empathy. My work starts with writing, whether that’s a quick note in my phone or a whole page in my sketchbook. I’m inspired by everyday occurrences, art history, things I read, and people I meet. I gravitate towards mundane subject matters, sometimes social stigma (surrounding family and femininity), ideas of surreal, symbolism, and reflection on painting itself. The application of paint and unbalanced attention throughout the canvas seeks to control the viewers’ attention. This strategy lets me create levels of understanding dependent upon the viewers’ similarities or closeness to me.

I think color is a powerful tool for capturing a range of specific feelings and seek to exploit it to that end. Melancholy or “still water feelings” run through much of my work. I see a lot of power in rest, maybe it’s the potential energy of it, or the fact that I’m unable to ignore the stillness of the two-dimensional picture plane.