Mike Pinette

Oakland, California

Mike Pinette uses pen & ink, acrylic paint and digital mixed media to create works of art by putting pen or paint to any surface it will stick to. Lines and dots become epic landscapes and portraits of the natural world. Mike has always been inspired by nature, mesmerized by the patterns in leaves, the blooming of flowers, the rhythm of the waves.

Mike Pinette’s pieces are not only created with talent and attention to detail, but a giving heart. He creates not just for the way it quiets his mind or the ability to hold a time and place for eternity. He creates in order to remind people of their innate connection to our wild earth.

Pinette completed art residencies in Central and South America and has collaborated with non-profits that protect this land we all call home. Every piece plays with the elements. Earth, water, fire and air all expertly woven. You can see the influence of Central and South American culture interlaced throughout his collection. Plants and animals from countries that are rich in history and stories. Within each artwork there is an uncanny movement created in the way he wields the lines and dots on the blank paper. As you look upon his pieces they seem to sway and breathe, captivating and peaceful all at once. Every piece is vividly alive.

Supakitch, AREÚZ, Miles Toland, Curiot Tlalpazotl and Madi are some of Mike’s current favorite artists. As far as music, he listens to a wide range, but recently El Buho, Tor, Gidge and Nils Frahm. Mike is inspired by authors Rumi, C G Jung, Alan Watts and Don Miguel Ruiz.

Mike has been using art as a way to self explore and express the people and places that he encounters. He really loves weaving ideas into visual form to give a feeling or energy of the original concept. Mike uses art as a way to listen to his subconscious and let certain images speak through dreams or images that come to him while in meditation. It's been a mindful practice and way to explore his imagination from an early age and it's turned more into a career in the past 6 years. Mike has been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel and explore new cultures with art residencies in Central and South America as well as collaborate with other artists or organizations to add images to their mission. Art is Mike’s adventure.