- Michael Birawer
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Michael Birawer (born April 17, 1971) is an American artist. Born and based in St. Paul, Minnesota, he is known for his three-dimensional, surrealist paintings of urban settings and their inhabitants.
Contents
Artwork
Birawer, a graduate of St. Paul's College of Visual Arts, exhibited his work at art fairs and local galleries, including a studio owned by his brother. His work combines oil and acrylic paints with layers of sculpted wood that he dubbed "pop outs."[1]
Birawer first achieved major notice in 2001 with his series Scenes from the Twin Cities, which consisted of 20 local landmarks including the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, First Avenue, W.A. Frost and the Grandview Theater.[2] In an interview, Birawer dubbed his style "cat art," citing his inspiration from the cartoonish rendering of felines with elongated features and excessively vibrant hues.[1]
In 2003, Birawer was the winner of the year's poster contest to promote the St. Paul Art Crawl, a citywide celebration of the visual arts. His design "Chestnut and W. 7th" was used in the advertising and marketing of the event.[2] In 2007, he was commissioned to create the official poster for the Minnesota State Fair.[3]
In 2009, Birawer was commissioned to create the artwork "The Art of Parking" for Amano McGann's entry into the International Parking Institute Conference and Expo. The booth was recognized by the committee and earned the award as the best at the Expo.
The Minnesota Twins commissioned Birawer in 2010 to create his interpretation of the team's new stadium, Target Field. The work, entitled, "Target Field - Home of the Twins", is on exhibit in the Minnesota Twins team offices at the ballpark.
Influences
- Elizabeth Murray
- Edward Hopper
- Red Grooms
- Frank Stella
- Laurence Stephen Lowry
- Lyonel Feininger
References
External links
Categories:- 1971 births
- People from Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Living people
- American painters
- Artists from Minnesota
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