Synthetic Spiral by Michael Diamond
4 colors 12”×18”
Printed on White 250gsm Vellum Coventry Rag
Singed and numbered in an edition of 94
Michael Diamond is a visual artist who explores painting, drawing, and, most recently, sculpture. Diamond’s practice kaleidoscopes intimacy through colorful palettes of painted imagery, tightly knit patterned motifs, and ephemeral handmade paper-machê sculptures. Inspired by street art, new folk, and the Mission School, Diamond finds much of his artistic vocabulary from the landmarks, graffiti, and topography that fill his everyday life: may it be the local car dealerships' signage, etched initials embossed in wet concrete, uneven buffs on the side of buildings or the stark shade found behind a sun-drentched succulent, Diamond seeks for the absurd and strives to give new meaning to the urban artifact.
He received a BFA in Painting from California College of the Arts in 2018 and currently lives and works in Oakland, CA, with his cat named Leela.
Written by Hannah Möller
Framed by Form Framing in Oakland
Artist Statement
My paintings speak on my experience walking in the city, pulling formal elements of color, textures, and patterns from the nuances of urban landscapes. I find myself ruminating on the histories that objects hold, combining designs, motifs, and structures to think about how my personal story can be reinterpreted through everyday objects. The fence series has been an ongoing project since 2018, evolving across various forms and mediums, and investigates the push and pull of line, shadow, and gesture as they relate to the visual language of the city. This edition began with a drawing I made earlier this year on "Picture Story" ruled newsprint, found in a reuse store. I’m drawn to aged paper from secondhand shops or street piles because it feels like my drawing becomes just one chapter in the material’s longer story. This particular sheet carried a sun-worn vignette—evidence of decades spent on a shelf, waiting to be used. That natural fading not only inspired the oval composition of the drawing, but was also something I was intent on preserving in the final print.
4 colors 12”×18”
Printed on White 250gsm Vellum Coventry Rag
Singed and numbered in an edition of 94
Michael Diamond is a visual artist who explores painting, drawing, and, most recently, sculpture. Diamond’s practice kaleidoscopes intimacy through colorful palettes of painted imagery, tightly knit patterned motifs, and ephemeral handmade paper-machê sculptures. Inspired by street art, new folk, and the Mission School, Diamond finds much of his artistic vocabulary from the landmarks, graffiti, and topography that fill his everyday life: may it be the local car dealerships' signage, etched initials embossed in wet concrete, uneven buffs on the side of buildings or the stark shade found behind a sun-drentched succulent, Diamond seeks for the absurd and strives to give new meaning to the urban artifact.
He received a BFA in Painting from California College of the Arts in 2018 and currently lives and works in Oakland, CA, with his cat named Leela.
Written by Hannah Möller
Framed by Form Framing in Oakland
Artist Statement
My paintings speak on my experience walking in the city, pulling formal elements of color, textures, and patterns from the nuances of urban landscapes. I find myself ruminating on the histories that objects hold, combining designs, motifs, and structures to think about how my personal story can be reinterpreted through everyday objects. The fence series has been an ongoing project since 2018, evolving across various forms and mediums, and investigates the push and pull of line, shadow, and gesture as they relate to the visual language of the city. This edition began with a drawing I made earlier this year on "Picture Story" ruled newsprint, found in a reuse store. I’m drawn to aged paper from secondhand shops or street piles because it feels like my drawing becomes just one chapter in the material’s longer story. This particular sheet carried a sun-worn vignette—evidence of decades spent on a shelf, waiting to be used. That natural fading not only inspired the oval composition of the drawing, but was also something I was intent on preserving in the final print.
4 colors 12”×18”
Printed on White 250gsm Vellum Coventry Rag
Singed and numbered in an edition of 94
Michael Diamond is a visual artist who explores painting, drawing, and, most recently, sculpture. Diamond’s practice kaleidoscopes intimacy through colorful palettes of painted imagery, tightly knit patterned motifs, and ephemeral handmade paper-machê sculptures. Inspired by street art, new folk, and the Mission School, Diamond finds much of his artistic vocabulary from the landmarks, graffiti, and topography that fill his everyday life: may it be the local car dealerships' signage, etched initials embossed in wet concrete, uneven buffs on the side of buildings or the stark shade found behind a sun-drentched succulent, Diamond seeks for the absurd and strives to give new meaning to the urban artifact.
He received a BFA in Painting from California College of the Arts in 2018 and currently lives and works in Oakland, CA, with his cat named Leela.
Written by Hannah Möller
Framed by Form Framing in Oakland
Artist Statement
My paintings speak on my experience walking in the city, pulling formal elements of color, textures, and patterns from the nuances of urban landscapes. I find myself ruminating on the histories that objects hold, combining designs, motifs, and structures to think about how my personal story can be reinterpreted through everyday objects. The fence series has been an ongoing project since 2018, evolving across various forms and mediums, and investigates the push and pull of line, shadow, and gesture as they relate to the visual language of the city. This edition began with a drawing I made earlier this year on "Picture Story" ruled newsprint, found in a reuse store. I’m drawn to aged paper from secondhand shops or street piles because it feels like my drawing becomes just one chapter in the material’s longer story. This particular sheet carried a sun-worn vignette—evidence of decades spent on a shelf, waiting to be used. That natural fading not only inspired the oval composition of the drawing, but was also something I was intent on preserving in the final print.