Michael Pearce (artist)
that] demonstrate a subtle alchemy all their own -- the transformation of ordinary oil paint and canvas into narratives that embrace the magic and romance of an earlier era.
"[3] The works are marked by the use of symbolism, male and female imagery and celestial references to address the mystical relationship between man and God.
[5] Pearce paints in oils on canvas, sometimes stretched over a wooden panel, creating allegorical or narrative figurative compositions of mystical or alchemical subjects.
Speaking about his 2008 The Principle installation, Pearce said: "Alchemical imagery is so rich and mysterious that it can't fail to be exciting to an artist.
The first of the group was exhibited in August 2011 at California Lutheran University in an exhibit titled "The New Romantic Figure",[8] with prominent Californian artists including Alexey Steele, Jeremy Lipking, Tony Pro, Mia Tavonatti, Cyn McCurry, Peter Adams (President of the California Art Club) and Michael Lynn Adams.
Looking back to the past for inspiration in his 2012 exhibit "Emblemata" he used 15th-century emblem books and tarot cards as source material, and presented art historical lectures on the Magician and the Fool archetypes.
[11] Pearce described the paintings as "figures emerging from light", and said that he was writing another book "exploring the ideas of kitsch and sentiment" tentatively titled "Never Nothing".
Pearce created a series of large-scale paintings which draw from alchemical symbolism, allegorical imagery and themes from 15th-century emblem books and tarot cards.
In 2010, he introduced an atelier-style system to the CLU Art Department, in which each faculty member was provided with their own studio space on campus, welcoming their students to study alongside them as they lead by example in the production of their own work.
Between 2005 and 2016, Pearce was curator of CLU's Kwan Fong Gallery where his programming emphasized the work of representational artists and interdisciplinary exhibits.
As part of the conference, Pearce organized an exhibit of imaginative realism titled "The Illusionists," featuring paintings and sculptures by Julie Bell, Roger Dean, Kathiucia Dias, Mark Gleason, F. Scott Hess, Regina Jacobson, Guy Kinnear, Brad Kunkle, Bryan Larsen, Richard MacDonald, Mark Poole, Vince Natale, Boris Vallejo, Pamela Wilson, and Sandra Yagi.
In 1992, Pearce designed the set for comedian and raconteur Steve Allen’s production of his play The Wake at the Celtic Arts Center in Hollywood, Los Angeles; Los Angeles Times reviewer Tim McCulloh said: "Pearce's set and lighting are exemplary, giving the feeling one could walk into the Scanlon apartment and live there.
He believes that Earhart perfectly represents the element of air "as a modern Icarus"[28] and he has painted her as an angelic character and alchemical queen.
[28] Pearce has painted portraits for artists and musicians including actor Shane Brolly, members of the band Plexi, Skinny Puppy singer Nivek Ogre, Snoop Dogg and the No Limit Records rappers C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker and Master P. Pearce's portrait of C-Murder was used for the cover of the rapper's platinum-selling The Truest Shit I Ever Said.
[29] His portraits of rapper Master P can be seen in an MTV Cribs episode featuring the No Limit Records owner's home in Baton Rouge.
