Fred
Nationally acclaimed for his abstract expressionistic paintings, emerging young artist Michael Flohr is fast becoming recognized for his exciting cityscapes and vivacious nightlife scenes. Replete with narratives of his own choosing, Flohr uses everyday life as the backdrop for his exquisite works of art. Most often, the narratives in Flohr’s works are of his own imaginings. He strives to paint the personality of a scene and the people that pervade it through unspoken interactions and his own perception.
However, “Fred” commanded a characterization of a real life. Fred is a bartender in at a world famous tavern in San Francisco’s and a favorite subject for the artist’s pass-the-time sketching. Capturing a moment’s hesitation as Fred sizes up a patron awaiting service, Flohr’s use of charismatic color in this piece is symbolic of Fred’s personality. Flohr describes him as a jovial character who “can get away with telling just about any kind of joke.” The artist was intrigued by the timeless appeal of Fred’s personality and wanted to capture it on canvas. The artist states, “It is as if Fred is not of this time -- with his handlebar mustache and the vintage architecture of the bar, one really feels lost in a time warp.” Sparkling light and color burst through the different color glasses behind the bar.
The color emanates from below thus defining the world dominated by this warm and intriguing figure. Flohr enjoyed the challenge of capturing depth in this vertical composition, a feat that is difficult to accomplish with limited surface area. Employing his improvisational style, the artist blurred and blended colors with his palette knife until the boundaries of light and shadow defined the scene. The result: a timeless portrait of character and intrigue.
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