About the Artist

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

I have been involved with art since I was a young child.  After school and military service, I worked in the public sector for many years continuing my art studies before becoming a professional artist.  I  consider myself to be lifelong student of the arts after reading many of the best art instructional books and attending many master level art workshops!  I’ve also participated in many art competitions and exhibits including National and International level competitions and exhibits during the past forty plus years receiving many prestigious awards and honors.

In 2022, after being in many quality art galleries, I became self-represented in my own virtual art gallery on the internet.  My paintings are in a number of collections in the United States and abroad in England, Japan and Switzerland.

I am an oil painter who loves the great outdoors from the mountains to the seas.  My favorite painting locations are in our Nation’s National Parks, the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the California coastline north of Big Sur.  I also love our American heritage from the settlers who perilously ventured out west to the American Indians who understood the rugged unspoiled beauty of our western landscape long before we settled here.

I paint primarily from life.  I believe that is the best way to capture true value and color relationships or other proper composition elements of a great work of art. I pride myself on being able to paint from life quickly and accurately whether the subject is our beautiful western landscape or a model posing in period costume. I use photographs for cowboy, American Indian and wildlife paintings due to posing problems that I'm sure you can imagine! Many of these paintings were created, however, from plein air studies as are my larger studio landscapes.  My goal is to give the art patron a two-dimensional piece of fine art that is as close to three-dimensional as possible without seeming contrived, abstract or photo realistic.

I hope that my ability to paint my view of our countries greatest treasures will inspire viewers as much as it inspires and intrigues me every single day.

RESUME

PRESENT GALLERIES
Mike Bagdonas Fine Art, A Virtual Gallery, El Dorado Hills, CA  (www.mikebagdonas.com)

 

PAST GALLERIES( representation)

New Masters Gallery, Carmel, CA

Winters Fine Art Galleries, Carmel and Carmel Highlands, CA

Chablis Gallery, Placerville, CA

Vault Gallery, Sonora, CA

Portico Fine Art, Montecito, CA

The Coastside Art Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA

Gallery Four, Placerville, CA

Goldsmith Gallery, Placerville, CA

Gold Country Artists Gallery, Placerville, CA

CACEP Art Gallery, Estes Park, CO

Independence Gallery, Loveland, CO

Iron Willow Gallery, Placerville, CA

 

PAST GALLERIES( group shows)

Southwest Art Gallery, Dallas, TX

Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

Cutter & Cutter Fine Art, St. Augustine, FL

Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC

Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX

John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA

Southwind Gallery, Topeka, KS

Lee Youngman Gallery, Calistoga, CA

Adam Whitney Gallery, Omaha, NE

Texas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX

Devin Galleries, Coeur d' Alene, ID

I. Wolk Gallery, St. Helena, CA

 

PAST MUSEUMS AND SPECIAL VENUES(group shows)

Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon, AZ

RW Norton Art Museum, Shreveport, LA

St. George Museum, St. George, UT

Museum of Moab, Moab, UT

Edge of Cedars Museum, Blanding, UT

Tweed Museum, Duluth, MN

Cornel Museum-Old School Square, Delray, FL

Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA

ART AFFILIATIONS/MEMBERSHIPS
Oil Painters of America - Artist member
Laguna Plein Air Painters Association - Artist member
California Art Club - Artist Associate member
 
EDUCATION
1993 - 1996 California Art Institute Thousand Oaks, CA
1974 - 1975 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA
1971 - 1973 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
1968 - 1970 Los Angeles Valley College Van Nuys, CA

AWARDS AND HONORS

2026 Honorable Mention, Oil Plein Air section, “Crashing Waves at Pt. Lobos” in April portion of the 16th annual Salon Art Prize.

2024 Winner, Best Vehicles painting, "Anchored in Montenegro" in the August portion and Best Plein Air Oil painting "Crumbling Coast" in the December portion of Plein Air Magazines 14th Annual Plein Air Salon.

2023 Winner, Best Artist Over 65  painting, “Camden Windjammer”, in the October portion of Plein Air Magazines 13th Annual Plein Air Salon.  This painting advanced through to the final thirty in the 13th Annual Plein Air Salon Finale in May 2024 out of over eleven thousand paintings!

2023  Winner of Two Honorable Mentions, one for "Soon Underway"(Vehicle category) and "Rocky Mountain Horse Ranch" (Western category) in the August portion of Plein Air Magazines 13th Annual Plein Air Salon.  

2023 Winner, Best Western painting, “Flank Riders", in the June portion of Plein Air Magazines 13th Annual Plein Air Salon.  The painting also qualifies for the competitions grand prize finale in May 2024.

2022 Winner, Best Landscape/Seascape, “Lake Ediza Sunrise” in the California Art Clubs first Biennale Show: Celebrating California, Blue Line Art Gallery, Roseville, CA.

2022 Winner, Best Plein Air Oil painting, “Crumbling Coast” , in the June portion of Plein Air Magazines 12th Annual Plein Air Salon and, also qualified it for the competitions grand prize finale in May 2023.

2022 Received an Honorable Mention for my painting “Waterbreak” in the November portion of the Plein Air Salon.

2022 Selected as a Top 100 Finalist Six times in the 12th Annual Plein Air Salon.

2014 Selected as the Publicity image for "Long May They Run" Wildlife Invitational Art Exhibition, CAC of Estes Park, CO.

2012 Best of Show, Summer Showcase, Winters Fine Art Gallery, Carmel Highlands, CA

2010 Selected for the cover image on the Redwood Forest Foundation Inc. Annual Report.

2010 Winner, Region 3,  National Paint The Parks Top 100 Competition

2010 Top 100 honoree, National Paint The Parks Top 100 Competition

2010  Selected to the Paint America Association Signature Society

2009 Top Fifty Honoree, "Paint The Forests" National Art Competition, Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc.
2009 Award of Merit, Estes Park International Plein Air

2009 Artist Choice Award, Estes Park International Plein Air

2009 Honorable Mention, Carmel Art Festival Plein Air

2009 Top 50 Honoree, National Paint The Parks Mini 50 Competition

2008 Award of Merit, Estes Park International Plein Air

2008 Top 100 Honoree, National Paint The Parks Top 100 Competition, Two Paintings

2008 3rd Place, Award of Merit, Quick Draw event, Estes Park International Plein Air

2008 Top 100 Honoree, National Paint America Top 100 Competition

2007 Artist Choice Award, Estes Park International Plein Air

2007 Honorable Mention, "Salon International"

2007 Top 100 honoree, National Paint The Parks Top 100 Competition, Two Paintings

2006 4th Place, Marin County Fair Plein Air

2004 Honorable Mention, Celebration of Western Art, Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA

ONE OR TWO PERSON SHOWS
2007 Vault Gallery Two Man Show Sonora, CA

2005 Chablis Gallery  One Man Show  Wild Wild West Placerville, CA

1997 Brentwood Art Center  Two Man Show  Brentwood, CA
 
SELECTED PLEIN AIR ART EVENTS

2025, 2016, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2005 Carmel Art Festival Plein Air

2013, 2012  Invited artist, Plein Air Rockies, Estes Park, CO.

2013, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2005 LPAPA 'The Best of Plein Air" , Laguna Beach, CA

2013, 2012, 2010  Los Gatos, CA Plein Air

2012 Sedona Plein Air Invitational, Sedona AZ.
2012, 2010 San Luis Obispo, CA Plein Air
2012, 2011  Markleville, CA Plein Air Invitational
2009  North Tahoe Plein Air
2009, 2008, 2007, 2006  Invited artist, Estes Park Int'l Plein Air 
2009  San Clemente Plein Air
2009, 2008  Invited artist, Nomadas Del Arte Plein Air, 5 Southwest States
Exhibits at Southwest Art Gallery, Dallas, TX; and Sage Creek Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2008 Season of Martis Plein Air, Truckee, CA
2008 100 Years of National Parks in Utah Plein Air Exhibit,
Exhibits at Museum of Moab,  Moab, Utah; and, Edge of Cedars Museum, Blanding, Utah
2008, 2007 Frank Bette Plein Air Paintout, Alameda, CA.

2007 "Northern Views" Juried plein air exhibit, Napa Valley Museum, Yountville, CA.

2007 Invited artist, Gold Country Plein Air, Sonora, CA.
2006 Marin County Fair Plein Air

SELECTED GROUP ART EVENTS

2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 Plein Air Magazines Annual Plein Air Salon virtual art competitions on www.pleinairsalon.com

2022 California Art Clubs First Biennale Exhibition: "Celebrating California", Blue Line Art Gallery, Roseville, CA

2020 California Art Club juried exhibition "Mid Summer Highlights: From the Sierras to the Sea", Gallery at 48 Natoma, Folsom, CA

2015  Oil Painters of America's National Exhibition of Traditional Oils, Cutter & Cutter Fine Art, St Augustine, Florida

2014, 2013 Annual Invitational Miniature Show, Germanton Gallery, Germanton, NC

2014 Invited artist to the wildlife exhibition, "Long May They Run", CACEP, Estes Park, CO

2014, 2010, 2007  Juried event, "Salon International",  Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, TX

2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 California Landscape Painters Exhibition John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA

2013  Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition, Southwind Gallery, Topeka, Kansas

2013  California Art Club Sacramento/Sierra Chapter Art Show, Folsom, CA

2012  Richard Schmid Fine Art Auction ( 2 paintings), LaPorte, CO.

2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 Juried event, National Paint The Parks Top 100 and Mini 50 Exhibitions ( 8 paintings), numerous exhibit locations throughout USA - including: the Kolb Studio, Grand Canyon, AZ; RW Norton Art Museum, Shreveport, LA; St George Museum, St George, Utah

2010 "Paint The Forests" National Art Competition, Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc., Lee Youngman Gallery, Calistoga, CA.

2010, 2009, 2006  Juried event, LPAPA "Less is More" Exhibition, Costa Mesa, CA
2009, 2008, 2007 NAPPAP Professional(Signature) member Exhibition, Exhibits as follows: Tweed Museum, Duluth, MN;  Adam Whitney Gallery, Omaha, NE and Texas Art Gallery, Dallas, TX respectively

2008 Juried exhibit, OPA Western Regional Exhibition, Devin Galleries, Coeur d' Alene, ID
2008 Paint America Top 100 Exhibition" ( 1 painting), Cornell Museum-Old School Square, Delray, FL
2007 Yosemite Show Invitational Vault Gallery, Sonora, CA

2007, 2006, 2004, 2003 Juried event, "Celebration of Western Art", Cow Palace,  San Francisco, CA.
2006 Juried event, Mother Lode National Art Exhibition, Placerville, CA
2006 Invited artist, Celebration of Life in the West Sunset Magazine, Menlo Park, CA.
2006 Juried event, LPAPA Artist Membership Exhibition, Laguna Beach, CA.
2005 Juried exhibit, California Art Club,"Our National Parks", Womens City Club of Pasadena, CA
2004 Juried event, LPAPA  Artist Indoors  Laguna Beach, CA.

PUBLICATIONS

2021  Published "Masters Of Light" article in the March issue of Style Magazine

2015  Published "The Ones To Watch" article in the September issue of Style Magazine

2013  Published "Artist Profile" article in the Sept/October issue of Plein Air Magazine

2010 Published artist in "California Landscape Painters", John Natsoulas Press

2005 Published "Artist profile" article in the September issue of Style Magazine

WORKSHOPS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND JUDGING

2023  Demonstrated color harmony and complimentary color strategies for the Folsom Arts Association.

2023  Demonstrated painting block-in methods for the El Dorado Arts Association

2021  Judged the Annual Membership Show for the Placerville Arts Association, the first show since the Pandemic.

2015  Three Day Plein Air Workshop, Hope Valley, CA

2015  Judged the Annual Membership Show for the El Dorado Hills Arts Association

2015  Complimentary Color Demonstration for Folsom Arts Association, Folsom, CA

2015  Three Day Alla Prima Landscape Workshop, Folsom lake College, Folsom, CA

2015  One day Plein Air Workshop at Marshall Gold Discovery SHP, Coloma, CA

2014  Art Critique and lecture at the Placerville Arts Association monthly meeting

2013  Alla Prima painting demo for the Amador County Artists Association

2013  Judged the Spring Membership Show for the Placerville Arts Association
2012  Alla Prima painting demo for Placerville Arts Association
2011  Judged the Annual Membership Art Show for El Dorado Hills Arts Association
2011, 2010, 2009, 2008  Plein Air Painting Demo, John Natsoulas Gallery,  Davis, CA
2010 One day Portraiture/Figure Workshop, Placerville, CA
2010 Alla Prima painting demo for the Folsom Arts Association
2009 Three day Alla Prima Landscape Workshop for the Folsom Art Association
2009 Monochrome Block-in Portraiture Demo for the Placerville Arts Association
2009 Five Day Figure/Portraiture live model Quick Study Workshop, Placerville, CA
2006  One Day Western Oil Painting Techniques Workshop, Placerville, CA

FAVORITE WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

2013 Matt Smith, Plein Air

2010 Skip Whitcomb, Plein Air
2007 Scott Christensen Advanced Plein Air
2007 Carolyn Anderson Portraiture
2004  Ray Roberts Portraiture
2003  John Budicin Plein Air

 

THE END