Mike King

United States  • 1952

Presentation

Artist Statement:

I have been drawing and painting for over 60 years. My mother recognized my talent and encouraged me to become an artist. She got me a set of tube watercolors, brushes and paper when I was 8 years old and a catalog of Currier & Ives lithographs to copy. They were a challenge and I still have a framed painting in watercolor of one of their lithos. Watercolor is my medium of choice followed by acrylic. In my opinion, no other painting medium can match watercolor in brilliance of color, light reflection, atmospheric effects and speed in application. I'm still learning how to paint in this medium.

I was born in 1952 in San Antonio, Texas. A few years later my family moved to Maryland where I was educated. We lived in Herald Harbor, a small resort town on the Severn River. Later we moved to Cumberland, Maryland in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Both places helped me develop a love for painting the land, sea, sky, mountains, and boats. Art is my passion and drawing and painting is my way of expressing it. I believe that all people are born with an innate need to create something, whether it's an art form or non-art form. Our lives would be a very dreary place without art. 

In 1973 I moved to the Tampa Bay Area and have lived here ever since. I began painting watercolors in my spare time and after a hundred or so paintings I felt confident enough to show them. I was represented in art galleries in Tampa, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg and received numerous commissions. My paintings and drawings have been collected by private individuals, corporations, and local government operations. Most of my paintings are inspired by the beautiful scenery in Florida, it's people, its beaches, skies and industries that use the water. I also worked on creating purely abstract images for awhile but now I stick to representational art.

Education:

Formal education in drawing and oil painting, Allegany College, Cumberland, Md.
Undergraduate studies in Latin American art, University of South Florida, Tampa, Fl.
Self taught in watercolor and acrylic painting

Awards & Distinctions:

2009-Best of Show in watercolor, Fl. State Fair
2021-Best of show in Watercolor, Tampa Realistic Artists

Exhibitions:

Solo show-Tampa Electric public art gallery, 2018
Solo show-Tampa main library art gallery, 2017
Group show-Tampa Realistic Artists, 2021

Artistic Influences:

The major artistic influences on me are the realism of Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, and William Hook. I love to look at impressionist art for its looseness and freshness. In watercolor I have learned much from Tony Couch, Edgar Whitney, and Frank Webb.

Tags:

boats, landscapes, seascapes, beaches, florida, people


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All artworks of Mike King
Painting, La Mer, Mike King

La Mer

Mike King

Painting - 76.2 x 101.6 x 1.8 cm

€1,488

Fine Art Drawings, A good day fishing, Mike King

A good day fishing

Mike King

Fine Art Drawings - 53.3 x 38.1 x 0.3 cm

€585

Painting, Cephas Jamaican Restaurant & Grocery, Mike King

Cephas Jamaican Restaurant & Grocery

Mike King

Painting - 55.9 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm

€1,479

Painting, Sunday Morning 7th Ave. Ybor City, Tampa, Mike King

Sunday Morning 7th Ave. Ybor City, Tampa

Mike King

Painting - 38.1 x 53.3 x 0.3 cm

€941

Painting, Midway at the Florida State Fair, Mike King

Midway at the Florida State Fair

Mike King

Painting - 38.1 x 53.3 x 0.3 cm

€873

Painting, Fort DeSoto Beach, Tierra Verde, Fl., Mike King

Fort DeSoto Beach, Tierra Verde, Fl.

Mike King

Painting - 38.1 x 53.3 x 0.3 cm

€585

Painting, The Nexus, Mike King

The Nexus

Mike King

Painting - 61 x 91.4 x 2.5 cm

€864

Fine Art Drawings, Makinâ Bacon at the Fl. State Fair, Mike King

Makinâ Bacon at the Fl. State Fair

Mike King

Fine Art Drawings - 55.9 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm

€1,258

Fine Art Drawings, Shrimp Boats, Tampa, Fl., Mike King

Shrimp Boats, Tampa, Fl.

Mike King

Fine Art Drawings - 55.9 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm

€1,258

Painting, French Fries, Fl. State Fair, 2022, Mike King

French Fries, Fl. State Fair, 2022

Mike King

Painting - 38.1 x 53.3 x 0.3 cm

€585

Fine Art Drawings, Fort DeSoto Fishing Pier, Tierra Verde, Fl., Mike King

Fort DeSoto Fishing Pier, Tierra Verde, Fl.

Mike King

Fine Art Drawings - 38.1 x 53.3 x 0.3 cm

€566

Fine Art Drawings, Georgia Home, Watercolor on paper, Mike King

Georgia Home, Watercolor on paper

Mike King

Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 50.8 x 0.3 cm

€451

Fine Art Drawings, Red's raft retired, Watercolor on paper, Mike King

Red's raft retired, Watercolor on paper

Mike King

Fine Art Drawings - 33 x 50.8 x 0.3 cm

€451

Painting, Skippers Smokehouse Tampa Fl, Mike King

Skippers Smokehouse Tampa Fl

Mike King

Painting - 55.9 x 76.2 x 0.5 cm

€1,344

Painting, At the Fair, Mike King

At the Fair

Mike King

Painting - 55.9 x 38.1 x 0.5 cm

€691

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Who is the artist?

Artist Statement:

I have been drawing and painting for over 60 years. My mother recognized my talent and encouraged me to become an artist. She got me a set of tube watercolors, brushes and paper when I was 8 years old and a catalog of Currier & Ives lithographs to copy. They were a challenge and I still have a framed painting in watercolor of one of their lithos. Watercolor is my medium of choice followed by acrylic. In my opinion, no other painting medium can match watercolor in brilliance of color, light reflection, atmospheric effects and speed in application. I'm still learning how to paint in this medium.

I was born in 1952 in San Antonio, Texas. A few years later my family moved to Maryland where I was educated. We lived in Herald Harbor, a small resort town on the Severn River. Later we moved to Cumberland, Maryland in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Both places helped me develop a love for painting the land, sea, sky, mountains, and boats. Art is my passion and drawing and painting is my way of expressing it. I believe that all people are born with an innate need to create something, whether it's an art form or non-art form. Our lives would be a very dreary place without art. 

In 1973 I moved to the Tampa Bay Area and have lived here ever since. I began painting watercolors in my spare time and after a hundred or so paintings I felt confident enough to show them. I was represented in art galleries in Tampa, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg and received numerous commissions. My paintings and drawings have been collected by private individuals, corporations, and local government operations. Most of my paintings are inspired by the beautiful scenery in Florida, it's people, its beaches, skies and industries that use the water. I also worked on creating purely abstract images for awhile but now I stick to representational art.

Education:

Formal education in drawing and oil painting, Allegany College, Cumberland, Md.
Undergraduate studies in Latin American art, University of South Florida, Tampa, Fl.
Self taught in watercolor and acrylic painting

Awards & Distinctions:

2009-Best of Show in watercolor, Fl. State Fair
2021-Best of show in Watercolor, Tampa Realistic Artists

Exhibitions:

Solo show-Tampa Electric public art gallery, 2018
Solo show-Tampa main library art gallery, 2017
Group show-Tampa Realistic Artists, 2021

Artistic Influences:

The major artistic influences on me are the realism of Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, and William Hook. I love to look at impressionist art for its looseness and freshness. In watercolor I have learned much from Tony Couch, Edgar Whitney, and Frank Webb.

Tags:

boats, landscapes, seascapes, beaches, florida, people

When was Mike King born?

The year of birth of the artist is: 1952