Painting

May 20, 2026

Artist Reimagines Famous Portraits Using a Pixel-Like Painting Technique

Polish artist Erky shows that you don’t need to render every detail to create a recognizable form. His portraits are created with thick, colorful daubs of paint arranged in a grid, resulting in works that resemble pixelated images. His striking, abstract work is a contemporary take on pointillism with larger, more tactile marks. The full image only comes into focus when you step back from the canvas.

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May 4, 2026

Self-Taught Painter Translates Personal Emotions Into Vibrant Oil Paintings [Interview]

Self-taught painter Tom D. Smith creates expressive oil paintings that translate emotion into color, movement, and form. As a result, his compositions emphasize energy and sensation, and they feel both immediate and reflective of shared human experience. Beginning with an internal concept or feeling, Smith develops his paintings through a process of visualization and refinement.

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April 23, 2026

This Figurative Painter Captures the Intricacies of Detroit Through a Local Tattoo Artist

Last year, Liu Xiaodong visited Detroit with the intention of painting its various residents—perhaps he would portray retired workers from the motor industry, he thought, or maybe rappers from the city’s prominent music scene. Instead, the figurative painter decided to significantly narrow his scope. For the first time in his career, he honed in on a single subject: John Mcintyre, a Detroit-based tattoo artist and a member of a local medieval fighting team.

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April 18, 2026

Goldsmith-Turned-Painter Illuminates the Magic of Wildlife With Metal Leaf [Interview]

Mixed-media artist Marie Lavallee is a great reminder that creativity doesn’t have to follow just one path. She first fell in love with painting in high school, went on to build a career as a goldsmith, and then found her way back to painting after turning 50. Although she shifted mediums, traces of her earlier craft remain ever-present—Lavallee incorporates elements of gold and copper leaf into her striking portraits of birds and woodland animals.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.