In this episode of The Connection , we speak with Michael Orwick, an oil painter whose work is deeply inspired by the unique light and atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest. Michael shares his artistic journey, from studying illustration at the Pacific Northwest College of Art to transitioning into landscape painting. He describes his creative process, which focuses on capturing fleeting moments of illumination during sunrise and sunset, using layers and a mix of warm
and cool colors. Michael also explains how his style leans towards impressionism, using optical mixing and broken brushwork to create energy and movement in his art.
He draws inspiration not only from the Pacific Northwest but from his global travels, including a year-long trip where he painted with children from orphanages around the world. We are thrilled to incorporate some of Michaels work in our upcoming ride guide and possible future collaborations with Michael and other artists alike.
Michael is the artist that provided the art in the Eastern Oregon All Access Gravel Guide and the Western Oregon All Access Guide.
Transcript
Dirty Freehub 0:06
This is the Connection, a Dirty Freehub podcast connecting gravel cyclists to where they ride through short stories about culture, history, people, places in lands.
I’m Kira Corbett, and today on the Dirty Freehub Hub connection, we have Michael Orwick Orwick, an oil painter deeply inspired by illumination, aiming to capture fleeting moments that transform the ordinary into the exceptional. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, ARC enjoys capturing scenes of the Pacific Northwest, as well as getting inspiration from creative journeys like his year long global adventure, where he was painting with children from orphanages. Through his initiative studio everywhere. So I am super curious about your artwork. It’s definitely has a very like, unique style. Could you tell us a little bit about your background in your style of art?
Michael Orwick 0:55
Yeah, absolutely. I actually studied illustration at the Pacific Northwest College of Art here in Portland, and I started my career doing children’s book illustrations and a bunch of different illustrative work and was also doing personal projects on the side, doing a lot of work. When we traveled and paintings and from hikes and different things like that. And I was able to get my illustration work into a couple of galleries. And when one of them saw my personal work, they asked if they could show that which was more landscape and a lot of images of Oregon. I said, Sure. And that work kind of took off and I was able to retire from illustration fairly early on in my work is I still think of it as kind of illustrative. I try to bring in kind of a narrative feeling into a lot of my work and the thing that really draws me in, especially living here in the Pacific Northwest, is our light and atmosphere. But yeah, I’ve been lucky to just keep painting our beautiful surroundings and kind of my motto in art is Explore, create, share.
Dirty Freehub 2:05
I love that. Going through some of it like you. Oh, really? I don’t know. A good way to describe it is that like, atmosphere? It’s something kind of I haven’t really seen a whole lot before. And like, especially in, like, the sunsets that you have and, like, just the landscapes. Maybe we’re just lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest, but I definitely think that that brings out part of your style. So how do you kind of create this style of art?
Michael Orwick 2:27
A lot of the work is kind of done in layers and really kind of pushing the warm and cool colors beside each other, really kind of pushes this feeling of illumination. And yeah, I’m so attracted to that. I go out often at sunrise and sunset to either take photos or to do my paintings and just try to capture those fleeting moments.
Dirty Freehub 2:53
Totally. That’s such a good word to describe it, like illumination. And it seems like you’re able to, like, bring out colors. Like so you have like in this image, you have like trees and a sunset. And in addition to the things in the background.
Michael Orwick 3:04
Right. And then you can see that it’s still done in a fairly impressionistic manner.
Dirty Freehub 3:09
Is that what this style is called? Like an impressionistic because like definitely from like a bird’s eye view, it’s like you can see this like scenery, but like when you zoom in, there’s all these like little features in it that are like.
Dirty Freehub 3:20
Kind of blurred, but also kind of visible at the same time. So is that an impressionistic style?
Michael Orwick 3:25
Impressionism would mean like what you call optical mixing or you put brushstrokes side by side in a way that makes a third color. So you put two colors side by side and they create a third color. Also broken brushwork, which is kind of where you can see where it becomes a little speedier. just like that energy and that movement.
Dirty Freehub 3:46
Where do you find a lot of your inspiration? And you mentioned a little bit in the from the Pacific Northwest.
Michael Orwick 3:52
Yeah. I mean, my family and I a number of years ago took a trip around the world and we went and painted with orphanages and schools and a whole bunch of different organizations. So I find inspiration everywhere. But the truth is, you know, having been to 22 countries on that trip and coming home. I love the Pacific Northwest. I absolutely do. And I just think it’s one of the most beautiful places. But I like combining things. I like, you know, oftentimes work from multiple references where I’ll be taking the sky and the atmosphere and what’s going on from one picture, the lighting from another picture, and then the design from a third picture.
But yeah, I mean, I love painting the gorge. I love painting. I’ve got a 300 different vineyard wineries, you know, not far from here. I do a lot of work with wineries, wine labels and work for their tasting rooms. I think why they work with me is because I like spending time out there. I like, you know, studying it, doing lots of sketches, taking lots of photos, getting to know the behind the scenes, all, you know, to create one or two images.
Dirty Freehub 5:06
Yeah, it must be it must be something for the brain to like, whether it’s finding that flow like while painting outside or finding the flow on a ride. There must be something like powerful to the brain.
Michael Orwick 5:16
Absolutely. I mean, I think that’s kind of part of the thing we’re chasing both and, you know, biking
Dirty Freehub 5:20
Yeah.
Michael Orwick 5:20
or hiking and and in painting. And it’s just nice. I mean, it’s not like a motor, a sport or anything. I mean, you guys, we get to see wildlife and I mean, I met painting where I’m just standing so quietly that I turn around and there’s a deer standing there. Why? Because you’re not intimidating. You’re just part of the thing. And it’s just so fun. Yeah.
Dirty Freehub 5:44
Is there anything else you’d like to talk about today?
Michael Orwick 5:47
I’m really looking forward to seeing the books. Learning more about your guys’s next project. So yeah, I look forward to staying in touch with you guys and hopefully working together more down the road because yeah, this was a lot of fun and it’s something I’m definitely feel good about being a part of. So yeah, thank you for letting me be a part of it and yeah. Best of luck with everything moving forward for you guys.
Dirty Freehub 6:16
If you’re interested in learning more about Michael Orwick, you can visit his website. Michael Orwick or Whitcomb. Duty Free Hub is a non-profit organization filled by your generous contributions. Find us at Dirty Free Hub dot org.
