Born in Virginia Beach, VA in 1980, but currently NY based; Michael Kagan balances abstract and representational painting (where his foundation emanates from) phenomenally well. The explorations of light and explosions through single images create a heroic and thematic aesthetic to his work that is quite adventurous.

A man of many credentials, Kagan graduate from George Washington University where he majored in painting and Art History. And upon graduation, he got his MFA from the New York Academy of Art. Being awarded one of the most prestigious post graduate fellowships from this institution, Kagan was afforded the opportunity to focus on a significant number of paintings for his first show (Fellows Show) and the rest as they say is history.

I think I was most drawn to Michael Kagan because I like to think that my life is as exhilarating as a rocket launch 🚀. And the first Art pieces I saw from Kagan’s strokes were rocket men, rocket ships, rocket launches and the control panels that operate those rocket ships. Just coming back from an explosive and adventurous journey in Tokyo, I was inspired and Mr. Kagan artistically captured this sheer exciting energy I have been internalizing since my journey.

I also was intrigued with how abstract Kagan’s work had evolved to be. When you look at his pieces closely, you see how a thousand of short brush strokes oddly create the vivid masterpiece that appears as you stand farther back. Just like life – all of our what seems at the time to be small decisions (brush strokes); each end up representing a defining stroke in the masterpiece of our life journeys. And, sometimes, it is not until you take that helicopter ride that you see the big picture. That duality of perception: up close and personal or taking an objective step back, is a constant nuance of life that we all must master.

And traveling across the world helps me master my brush strokes: as an Artist and as a human being experiencing life.

💜Love & Light☀️,
CRISTEN M. MILLS