About Mike
I grew up in Lexington, MA and studied Graphic Design at Rochester Institute of Technology in NY. I’ve been working as a graphic designer for the past 30 years, and run a 24 year-old web design agency called Metropolis Creative. I also teach interactive design part time at Northeastern University. In 2017, after half a lifetime of admiring figurative and imaginative realism art, I decided to learn to do it myself. I try to practice as often as I can and have attended many great artist workshops and demos put on by the artists I’ve been following for years. I’m still actively learning and have created over 500 portraits in that time.
Mike & Pig
Taken at the Brandywine Museum by Mark Tourtellott!
I try to capture something beautiful or evocative in my portraiture and figurative art. My goal is to get lost in the subject — either entranced or intrigued. I work across different traditional mediums because the subject often calls out for a specific medium. Charcoal is dark and dramatic. Watercolor is loose and soft. Pastels are painterly, incredibly vibrant, and yet soft. Oil paints allow for more classical realism.
To see a steady stream of work ranging from practice pieces to finished art, you can follow me on Instagram @michaelflintart.
Home Studio and Lemon Tree
Exhibitions & Education
The Allen Center, The Art of Color, Newton, MA. November 2023. Won Honorable Mention for “Solace” — Pastel
IX Arts Showcase Exhibition, Reading, PA. October 2023
Suzuki School of Music, Newton MA, September 2023 – January 2024. “Lady Gaga” – Charcoal
Newton Free Library, Newton Art Association Annual Show, Newton, MA, September 2023. “Rewrite The Stars” — Pastel
Howard Lyon Painting Workshop at the Academy of Realist Art, Boston, July 2023
The Center for Arts in Natick, Natick, MA. Jun – July 2023. Solo show with 26 pieces.
The Allen Center, Newton, MA. December 2022. “More Than You’ll Ever Know” — Oil on canvas
IX Arts Showcase Exhibition, Reading, PA. October 2022
SmArt School with Cynthia Sheppard: Illustrating the Emotional Narrative, Fall 2022
Andy Espinoza Pastel Portrait Workshop, January 2022
Suzuki School of Music, Newton MA, January – April 2021. “Jimi Hendrix” – India ink on Moleskin paper
Lasell University’s Wedeman Gallery, James King Bonnar Show, Newton MA, November 2021. Won second place for “Young Boxer” — Charcoal
Newton Art Association, Art Works For Good Online Show, November 2021. “Colin Kaerpernick”, “Ramon-Contreras”, “Kaitlyn Saunders”, “Young Kamela Harris – Future Vice President”, and “Megan Rapinoe”
Mother Brook Arts and Community Center, “Giving”, Dedham, MA, November 2021. Won Honorable Mention for “Amanda Gorman” in charcoal. Also exhibited “Greta Thunberg” in graphite and “Jane Fonda” in watercolor.
Newton Free Library, Newton Art Association Annual Show, Newton, MA, September 2021. Won first place for “Surprise” — Pastel
Piano Art Gallery, Boston, MA, April 2021. “Enlightened” — Watercolor
Trekell Art Contest Online. Won day 9 for “Madonna” — Charcoal
La Tazza Piena Online Gallery, January 2021 – Jun 2022
Daniel Gerhartz Portrait Painting Worskhop, May 2020
Illustration Master Class, Amherst, MA, June 2019
Newton Art Association, Scandinavian Home Gallery, May 2019. “Highclere Castle”