Michael Cano: Portrait of the Painter

Michael Cano’s work is bright, vivid, and loaded with emotion. Cano creates paintings-- both realistic and abstract-- that honor his subjects with strong colors and direct, forceful compositions.  His portraits resonate with emotion, and there is an elegance and honesty in their presentation that is deceptively simple.   

Cano, born in Monterey Park and a graduate of the Art Center School of Design, is a classically trained artist. But his paintings have something of an outlaw quality to them-- an outsider’s sensibility that is never feigned or forced.  As a native Californian, Cano references Southern California culture, as well as his favorite musicians, writers, artists, and personalities. His focus as of late has been on portrait work.  While extremely modern in style, Cano’s work lacks the otherworldly self-indulgence of the current crop of young California painters.  His no-nonsense approach to his paintings and drawings results in respectful and deeply moving-- and sometimes disturbing-- works of art.

I asked the artist a few pointed questions, and he responded in his typical heartfelt manner...



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