J. Michael Gatlin "Grain Elevator"

Hello, I’m J Michael Gatlin. I grew up in the west and southwest, and after a bit of time in the Midwest, am pleased to now be living in Colorado. 

This painting of a grain elevator represents for me, the kinds of working landmarks I’ve often see in the landscape where I’ve lived, and represent some of my experience of living in the western part of our country. 

I work mostly in watercolor and graphite, on all sorts of different kinds of paper. 

I use these simplest of art materials—the kind which almost any child has access to—to highlight the overwhelming generous amount of beauty we encounter in our world. And I put what I see on paper to represent the impermanent and fragile nature of our lives—I love the juxtaposition of timeless beauty on pieces of paper.  

Over the years I’ve developed a style of loose precision—working to highlight the fluid nature of watercolor, right alongside the intricate details of whatever form I’m trying to describe.

My paintings are not copies of photographs, rather I’m interpreting my experience of the scene, or the object, or the person with the expressive nature of my materials. 

When collectors are first introduced to my work, they’re often surprised to discover these are watercolor paintings. Thats because I use a smooth surfaced, archival quality paper, which allows the pigment to stay on the surface, rather than soaking in, making the color appear more vibrant than with traditional watercolor papers.

I’m also not limited to any specific subject matter—I’ll paint everything from vast landscapes to individual objects; urban and small town scenes; still lifes, portraits and figurative work—no subject matter is off limits. I’m just looking for a bit of beauty that captures my imagination. 

Thank you for taking a moment to learn about my work.