Cross-pollination. It’s a term Colorado-based oil painter Michael Lynch uses to describe his big break into full-time art. That was more than 35 years ago, when he hooked up with other representational artists who reassured him that there was a place for such art amidst the transition to modern art. By then, Lynch already had explored trendy college art programs before settling on a degree in political science from Regis College in Denver, Colorado. He’d entered the workaday world, even considering a career as a lawyer, but his leanings were always toward representational art.

Michael Lynch

China Cove
Oil
6˝ by 8˝
“Late afternoon light raking across the surf is a compelling and transient effect for the painter to tackle. Painting a fleeting moment usually dictates that I use a postcard-sized panel, as I did in this sketch. Small location paintings like this are the basis for all of my studio paintings. They are invaluable to the process.”

Michael Lynch

Madaket Afternoon
Oil
18˝ by 32˝
“The town of Madaket, located at the western end of Nantucket Island, offers an endless variety of subject mater. In the autumn, the sea grass turns a rich, russet color, while the low angle of the sun gives the inlet a deep blue hue. The combination of striking color and the random placement of boats and buildings was the inspiration for this piece.”