A Painting Speaks 1000 Words

In Theo’s painting Serenade there is a constant and immediated drama.
A man has climbed a ladder which is being held up unconventionally by his fellow musician. Perhaps they are a little bit tipsy which would explain the precarious balancing act. A woman is looking down from above, and there is no question that she is the recipient of the man’s musical advances. Two cars painted in lifelike detail further ground the picture, lending a sense of modernity to the classical scene that on first glance looks like it could have been in the 40’s or 50’s. We wonder if one of the musicians is her lover, or whether her lover has sent the musicians to serenade her. We wonder what will become of the musicians, or the woman, and we can feel that she is enraptured by the music they are playing.

Serenade. oil painting by Theo Michael May 2012

The Picnic Basket is a modern take on Edouard Manet's painting Le Déjeuner sur l'herbes.
It is a snapshot in time and a scene of details along a Cypriot beach. The woman is standing naked in front of a basket of fruit. Her hand is placed seductively on her man’s thigh, and another woman sits in the shade wearing sunglasses. Off to the right a man sits in a chair and two children sit in the shade of the tree. Cars are pulled up on the beach and in the background we can see the rich blue ocean creating contrast on the horizon. This is an image of stories untold, and it is left for the viewer to fill in the gaps that have been left.
The Picnic Basket, oil painting by Theo Michael September 2014

The Rehearsal features a woman smoking a cigarette in an auditorium. An orchestra is rehearsing a performance below in this grand scene that is immediately romantic and alluring. A shawl is thrown on the banister as an aside and the woman’s pearl necklace is draped across her shoulder and back stylishly. She wears a golden glove that shimmers in the auditorium light. Blue spotlights behind the orchestra give the painting focus and perspective. We are left to wonder if the woman is alone, or with a partner? Are they in love, or
in a long term relationship? We wonder about her state of mind and what is going on in her life, as we are swept up in the music just as she appears to be. If we really listen to the painting we can almost hear the orchestral music playing and echoing throughout the hall.

The Rehearsal, oil painting by Theo Michael August 2011

Evening Stroll is another strong narrative painting by Theo. Two men walk along a mountain top with the sun setting on the horizon. We immediately are given clues to their conversation with the relaxed poise of both men, although they are clearly deep into their deliberations and connected to each other. What might they be saying we wonder? Are they brothers, friends, or work colleagues? It has been suggested that the figure on the right has just been informed that his wife is expecting twins. That being the case, his life is about to get a little bit more complicated.
In the sky a gull is swooping into the heavens adding a sense of movement into the moody scene and further lending our focus onto the two men who are ambling their way across the undergrowth. 

The Evening Stroll, oil painting by Theo Michael May 2016

Man With Bicycle is a story of perspective and eras bygone. A tall tower block dwarfs our subject in the foreground. This is a painting of modernity and tradition, with a smaller traditional building below contrasting sharply with the modern sky rise. How does the changing world adapt and fit in with our traditions?

This is a portrait of Theo's father who returned home to Larnaca after 25 years in England where dramatic changes of his once familiar landscape awaited him.
The subject of the painting is contemplating the view, as he serves as a conduit through which we can understand the scene better. He holds onto the seat of his bike as he digests the grandeur of the buildings ahead of him.

Man With Bicycle, oil painting by Theo Michael January 2014