Artist Spotlight: Mike Tapogna
This week we feature artist Mike Tapogna. Mike’s work is vibrant and driven by color. In his artist statement he describes his process as one of change and discovery. “Consciously or otherwise, I paint for a balance between subject and surface. Through addition, deletion and sometimes total destruction of the painted canvas, I am able to find new and unexpected possibilities.”
R&F is proud to have a piece of Mike’s work in our permanent collection.
How did you get your start painting?
I got my start in painting in 1992 at SUNY New Paltz. I was an art major at the time, then became a painting major after a freshman oil painting class.
What is your work about? Do you have a specific process or subject matter in mind while you work?
My work is about color and space, abstract but loosely based on the idea of landscape. I begin with large blocks of color and layer from there. I also use drawings and collage as part of the process. Texture is very important in my work and the evidence of my process becomes part of the final picture.
Do you paint primarily with our Pigment Sticks® or do you use other mediums as well?
R&F Pigment Sticks® are crucial to my paintings. I use them throughout the entire process and combine them with paint from a tube. I use them as drawing implements or as a means to lay down large areas of color. I will often apply Pigment Stick to the canvas and then use a brush and linseed oil to spread it around. I have been using R&F Pigment Sticks® since my New Paltz days (1992 - 1996). They truly are the best.
What's your studio/ work space like? Describe what you appreciate about it?
My studio is in the garage of my home in Port Townsend, Washington. I often paint with the garage door open to have lots of natural light. It is a space I have put a lot of thought into and the layout is quite comfortable. The fact that it is in my home is a bonus as I don't need to go very far to paint.
Is color a driving force in your work?
Color is central to my work. It really is the most important thing to me. I am nostalgic for my eighties childhood, especially BMX bikes and skateboards, which experienced an explosion of color back then - pinks, blues, neons, etc. That all shows up in my paintings.
What do you do when you aren't in the studio painting?
I am a stone mason by trade, so when I'm not painting, I work with stone and hardscape. I ride bicycles quite a lot, visit the local skatepark as much as I can, and play ice hockey from time to time. I also spend a lot of time with my wife, my 15 year old son, and our dog and cat.
Anything else you'd like our readers to know?
My favorite artists are de Kooning, Basquiat, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec.
To see additional images of Mike’s work, visit his website miketapogna.com or follow him on Instagram @mikestro_industries.