Trompe L'Oeil

Mike Theise (1959-) Contemporary, American

Titled "Barlett's Rack" after a painting by Charles Sprague Pearce

Medium: Oil on board
Image Size: 18” x 18”
Frame Size: 26” x 26”
Signature: Signed lower right
Price: $5500

Biography/Statement

Michael Theise is an American master of the trompe l’oeil genre. Born in the Bronx and raised in Milford, Connecticut, Theise graduated from the nearby Paier School of Art in Hamden, where he studied under another trompe l’oeil master, Ken Davies. While studying under Davies, Theise experimented with realism, primarily by painting African wildlife with intense attention to detail. His passion segued naturally into trompe l’oeil, as he began using objects of compelling interest in his compositions. Captivated by the new direction of his painting, Theise dedicated himself to the trompe l’oeil tradition. Today, Theise is recognized nationally for compositions that employ diverse subjects such as American currency, playing cards, game boards, portrait miniatures, and nods to Rembrandt Peale, John Singer Sargeant, and Jackson Pollock to create visual allegories. “People look at trompe thinking it’s been pushed to its limit,” Theise says. “But I’m always looking for ways to take it further.” Michael Theise has exhibited extensively for the past two decades. The Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme, Connecticut has held four highly successful solo shows since 1992. Theise also exhibited at Vose Galleries and the St. Botolph’s Club, both in Boston. In October 2008, the New Britain Museum of American Art opened Theise’s first major museum exhibition, The Eye Deceived: Paintings by Michael Theise.

Artist Profile Page: Theise, Mike / Categories: Trompe L'Oeil

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Portrait, Trompe L'Oeil

Mike Theise (1959-) Contemporary, American

Homage to Peale

Medium: Oil on board
Image Size: 18” x 14”
Signature: Signed lower right
Price: $3800

Biography/Statement

Michael Theise is an American master of the trompe l’oeil genre. Born in the Bronx and raised in Milford, Connecticut, Theise graduated from the nearby Paier School of Art in Hamden, where he studied under another trompe l’oeil master, Ken Davies. While studying under Davies, Theise experimented with realism, primarily by painting African wildlife with intense attention to detail. His passion segued naturally into trompe l’oeil, as he began using objects of compelling interest in his compositions. Captivated by the new direction of his painting, Theise dedicated himself to the trompe l’oeil tradition. Today, Theise is recognized nationally for compositions that employ diverse subjects such as American currency, playing cards, game boards, portrait miniatures, and nods to Rembrandt Peale, John Singer Sargeant, and Jackson Pollock to create visual allegories. “People look at trompe thinking it’s been pushed to its limit,” Theise says. “But I’m always looking for ways to take it further.” Michael Theise has exhibited extensively for the past two decades. The Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme, Connecticut has held four highly successful solo shows since 1992. Theise also exhibited at Vose Galleries and the St. Botolph’s Club, both in Boston. In October 2008, the New Britain Museum of American Art opened Theise’s first major museum exhibition, The Eye Deceived: Paintings by Michael Theise.

Artist Profile Page: Theise, Mike / Categories: Portrait, Trompe L'Oeil

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Trompe L'Oeil

Michael James Riddet (1947-) Contemporary,

Medium: Acrylic on board
Image Size: 9.5” x 12.5”
Frame Size: 13.5” x 16.5”
Signature: Signed lower right
Price: $2800

Biography/Statement

Although best known for 30 years as a painter of natural history, a new direction began in 1997 when Riddet began exploring the techniques and history of Trompe l’Oeil painting.  Today, the majority of his easel work is in this style.

Born in Northwest England in 1947 on the southern fringe of England’s famed Lake District, Michael Riddet was surrounded by an environment that was to leave an indelible image of natural beauty.  His family emigrated to the U.S. and settled in Illinois in 1956.  It wasn’t until his early teens that a keen interest in painting was rekindled when introduced to the art collection hanging on the walls of his middle school walls, a collection amassed by the school principal, Nettie J. McKinnon with funds raised from magazine subscriptions sold by the students.  Each year, McKinnon would carefully select what she felt were “good” pieces of work from both American and European painters.  A portrait by John Singer Sargent was added and hung in Riddet’s art room in 1960. Today, the “Nettie J. McKinnon Collection of American Art” is priceless.

Being surrounded by great art in school and access to work of marine painter, Charles Vickery, who had a studio in the same town, were the catalysts that prompted Riddet to seriously think of pursuing an artistic journey.  Vickery encouraged the young artist, and regular Saturday morning studio chat sessions with other professional painters only heated the desire to paint full time.  Vickery’s philosophy was that it was possible to make a living at the easel if you are willing to make sacrifices and starve graciously. 

American painters who had the greatest early influence on Riddet were John Audubon and Andrew Wyeth, but Riddet’s preoccupation with this naturalistic realism and tight rendering did not fit in with the art worlds’ or university’s preoccupation with Modernism during the 60’s so he pursued a degree at Roosevelt University in Chicago in his other area of interest, the natural sciences.  This turned out to be a wise decision as he landed a day job job as artist/naturalist with a local forest preserve district designing exhibits, writing, lecturing and teaching environmental education.

His efforts turned to the easel at night painting natural history subjects for an ever increasing number of clients.  A big break came in 1975 when Emmett Reid Blake, Curator Emeritus of Birds at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History recommended to the Chicago Tribune Magazine that they use Riddet’s work to accompany a story on birds of the Midwest.  At the same time, the dean of Canadian bird painters, Terence Shortt, recommended that Riddet paint full time.

As easel work increased and a major commission on African birds for Animal Kingdom Magazine began to take up most of his time, Riddet and his wife decided to pull up stakes, cash everything in and cast all common sense to the wind.  In 1979 they purchased fifty acres in Southwest Wisconsin and designed and built their house and studios.

His originals have now been shown in over 60 museums here and abroad.  Michael Riddet was elected in 1996 to the Society of Animal Artists and has received the bronze medal of excellence.  He was elected into the Chicago Palette & Chisel Academy of Art in 2001, and is also a member of the International Guild of Realism.  The transition to trompe l’oeil painting was not a conscious decision initially, but he found it technically challenging and inventive, allowing imagination and occasionally humor to dictate the subject material.  He also admits that it is pure “fun”.  An aspect of natural history is still found in most works and occasionaly a social, political or environmental message.  Some works simply invite the viewer into interpreting the painted image.

Artist Profile Page: Riddet, Michael James / Categories: Trompe L'Oeil

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Trompe L'Oeil

Mike Theise (1959-) Contemporary, American

Medium: Oil on Panel
Image Size: 24” x 18”
Frame Size: 32” x 26”
Signature: Signed on bill
Price: $6500

Biography/Statement

Michael Theise is an American master of the trompe l’oeil genre. Born in the Bronx and raised in Milford, Connecticut, Theise graduated from the nearby Paier School of Art in Hamden, where he studied under another trompe l’oeil master, Ken Davies. While studying under Davies, Theise experimented with realism, primarily by painting African wildlife with intense attention to detail. His passion segued naturally into trompe l’oeil, as he began using objects of compelling interest in his compositions. Captivated by the new direction of his painting, Theise dedicated himself to the trompe l’oeil tradition. Today, Theise is recognized nationally for compositions that employ diverse subjects such as American currency, playing cards, game boards, portrait miniatures, and nods to Rembrandt Peale, John Singer Sargeant, and Jackson Pollock to create visual allegories. “People look at trompe thinking it’s been pushed to its limit,” Theise says. “But I’m always looking for ways to take it further.” Michael Theise has exhibited extensively for the past two decades. The Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme, Connecticut has held four highly successful solo shows since 1992. Theise also exhibited at Vose Galleries and the St. Botolph’s Club, both in Boston. In October 2008, the New Britain Museum of American Art opened Theise’s first major museum exhibition, The Eye Deceived: Paintings by Michael Theise.

Artist Profile Page: Theise, Mike / Categories: Trompe L'Oeil

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Still Life, Trompe L'Oeil

Rebecca Cuming (1956-) Contemporary, American

Medium: Oil on Canvas
Image Size: 16” x 20”
Frame Size: 17” x 21”
Signature: Signed lower right
Price: $2400

Biography/Statement

Originally from Middletown, New Jersey, Rebecca Cuming is a painter who has been living and working in Broomfield, Colorado since 2005.

Cuming received her Bachelors Degree of Fine Art (honors) in1980 from the School Of Visual Arts in New York City. Prior to that she studied at the Arts Students league in NYC and Tyler School Of Art in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania.

Cuming has exhibited extensively in the United States including the National Gallery, The Sumner Museum and Senate Building in Washington D.C , Monmouth Museum in Middletown New Jersey, the Allan Stone Gallery in New York City.

Cuming’s regional exhibitions include the State Capitol, Denver, CO, The Arvada Center For The Arts, Arvada CO,The Lincoln Center,Fort Collins CO,The Dairy Art Center,Boulder,CO, Pirate Contemporary Art ,Denver, CO. Redline,Denver CO, and Goodwin Fine Art,Denver, CO.

Cuming’s work has been published in architectural and design magazines, and acquired by corporate and private collections throughout the United States.

Artist Profile Page: Cuming, Rebecca / Categories: Still Life, Trompe L'Oeil

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Trompe L'Oeil

Mike Theise (1959-) Contemporary, American

Medium: Oil on Panel
Image Size: 12” x 9”
Frame Size: 16” x 13”
Signature: Signed on $500 bill
Price: SOLD

Biography/Statement

Michael Theise is an American master of the trompe l’oeil genre. Born in the Bronx and raised in Milford, Connecticut, Theise graduated from the nearby Paier School of Art in Hamden, where he studied under another trompe l’oeil master, Ken Davies. While studying under Davies, Theise experimented with realism, primarily by painting African wildlife with intense attention to detail. His passion segued naturally into trompe l’oeil, as he began using objects of compelling interest in his compositions. Captivated by the new direction of his painting, Theise dedicated himself to the trompe l’oeil tradition. Today, Theise is recognized nationally for compositions that employ diverse subjects such as American currency, playing cards, game boards, portrait miniatures, and nods to Rembrandt Peale, John Singer Sargeant, and Jackson Pollock to create visual allegories. “People look at trompe thinking it’s been pushed to its limit,” Theise says. “But I’m always looking for ways to take it further.” Michael Theise has exhibited extensively for the past two decades. The Cooley Gallery in Old Lyme, Connecticut has held four highly successful solo shows since 1992. Theise also exhibited at Vose Galleries and the St. Botolph’s Club, both in Boston. In October 2008, the New Britain Museum of American Art opened Theise’s first major museum exhibition, The Eye Deceived: Paintings by Michael Theise.

Artist Profile Page: Theise, Mike / Categories: Trompe L'Oeil

Other Available Works by this Artist:

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