About Michael Klein
Flowers with stories, painted in earth pigments and Midwest patience
Michael Klein studies flowers like they are people with stories.
Michael Klein at a glance
- Origin: North Dakota native; grew up in the Midwest
- Medium: Oil painting, with earth-based pigments
- Known for: Floral still lifes; also portraits and figures
- Training: Midwest ateliers and workshops, then Water Street Atelier, New York (2005)
- Award: Grand prize, Portrait Society of America International Portrait Competition (2016)
- Award-winning work: NYC Entrepreneur
- Galleries: Ann Long Fine Art (Charleston), Maxwell Alexander Gallery (Los Angeles)
- Official website: michaelkleinpaintings.com
Q: Who is Michael Klein
A: Michael Klein is a contemporary painter known for floral still lifes and classical technique, and Michael Klein trains his eye on nature.
He grew up in the Midwest and that steady light taught him to see form and color honestly.
Q: What shaped Michael Klein’s vision
A: Michael Klein’s Midwestern upbringing and atelier training shaped Michael Klein’s careful observation and respect for truth in painting.
He trained in a string of ateliers and finished at Water Street Atelier in New York in 2005.
Q: What does Michael Klein paint most now
A: Michael Klein focuses on floral still lifes but Michael Klein also paints portraits and figures with equal care.
Klein won the Portrait Society of America grand prize for a portrait called NYC Entrepreneur.
Q: What materials and colors does Michael Klein favor
A: Michael Klein favors earth based pigments mixed with oil and Michael Klein aims for truthful color and chromatic harmony.
He lives in Raleigh and keeps a second studio in Buenos Aires, following light and local flora.
A woman in profile wears a white flower in her hair against a dark ground. Oil portrait by Michael Klein of a woman in profile, a white blossom in her hair and a small gold earring catching the light. Klein stresses working from life, a habit built in classical ateliers and at Water Street Atelier.
A girl in a lilac dress sleeps curled in a dark velvet armchair. Oil painting by Michael Klein of a sleeping girl in a lilac dress, folded into a deep armchair against a muted wall. The crisp fabric folds reflect his classical training with Jacob Collins at Water Street Atelier.
A woman in a plum satin dress holds a white flower behind her back. Oil painting by Michael Klein of a standing woman seen from the back, her hair pinned up and a white bloom held low in one hand. The pale, scraped wall lets her warm skin tones carry the picture.
A man in a dark coat stands before a snowy city skyline. Oil portrait by Michael Klein of a man in glasses and a black coat, with snow and a distant skyline behind him. Klein won the 2016 Portrait Society of America grand prize for his portrait NYC Entrepreneur.
A girl in a black veil stands beside a lit candle and white roses. Oil painting by Michael Klein of a young girl in a sheer black veil, arms folded, beside a burning candle and a bouquet of white and peach roses. Figure and flowers share one quiet, solemn mood.
A young woman in a sheer white veil holds a few flowers. Oil portrait by Michael Klein of a young woman draped in a translucent white veil, with lace at her collar and blossoms at the lower edge. A pale blue sky and soft trees sit behind her.
A woman sits quietly in a bare room beside a stove and steel pot. Oil painting by Michael Klein of a woman in dark clothes seated beneath a window, a steel pot resting on a cast iron stove nearby. Cool light and a blue tiled floor give the interior a hushed feel.
A woman in a fur collared coat sits in an armchair beside white blossoms. Oil portrait by Michael Klein of a woman with long dark hair in a dark coat with a fur collar, seated in a brown armchair. White blossoms hang at the left edge of a pale wall.
A woman in a black lace dress sits against a near black background. Oil portrait by Michael Klein of a seated woman with long brown hair, her hands folded loosely over a black lace dress. Only her face, hands and the chair rail emerge from the dark ground.
A woman in a white blouse braids her long dark hair. Oil painting by Michael Klein of a woman glancing aside as she braids her hair, wearing a loose white blouse brushed in bold, thick strokes against a dark brown wall.
Magenta peonies fill a clear glass vase beside one fallen petal. Floral still life by Michael Klein of deep magenta peonies in a clear glass vase, with one fallen blossom on the table. Klein favors earth based pigments mixed with oil and works for truthful color.
Lilac, roses and a purple anemone stand in a simple glass jar. Floral still life by Michael Klein with lilac, soft pink roses, a white peony and a purple anemone in a glass jar before a slate blue wall. The mixed spring bouquet reflects his habit of painting from life.
Pink and white peonies rise from a green glass vase. Floral still life by Michael Klein of pink, white and magenta peonies with a small pansy and a tall spike of white flowers, set in a green glass vase. Fallen blossoms reflect in the polished table.
Red roses in a terracotta pot rest on a weathered wooden crate. Oil painting by Michael Klein of red roses in a clay pot set on an old slatted crate, against a rough wall with climbing vines. The worn wood and bright blooms contrast sharply.
White peonies, pink roses and purple blossoms crowd a pale vase. Floral still life by Michael Klein of a full bouquet of white peonies, pink roses, purple blossoms and dark foliage in a white vase, with a small glass bowl at the left of the table.
White roses and blue iris fill a clear glass vase. Floral still life by Michael Klein of white roses with blue iris and small purple flowers in a clear glass vase. The cool whites stand out against a warm brown ground.Cream and peach roses stand out against a black background. Oil painting by Michael Klein of cream and peach roses with green leaves in a small glass vase, on a pale table before a black ground. Loaded brushstrokes shape each petal.
Yellow roses sit beside a white bloom and a deep crimson rose. Square oil study by Michael Klein of yellow roses and a rosebud, with a white rose at the left and a crimson one behind. The warm brown ground makes the yellows stand out.
Red, white and crimson roses sit in a round glass bowl. Oil still life by Michael Klein of red, white and deep crimson roses in a round glass bowl on a grey table. Broad strokes in the background keep attention on the open blooms.
White, yellow and red roses rise from a round glass bowl. Oil still life by Michael Klein of white, yellow and red roses in a round glass bowl on a worn wooden table. A single rosebud lies in front, and the dark background pushes the petals forward.
White peonies and roses stand above fruit on a dark polished table. Oil still life by Michael Klein combining white peonies, a yellow rose and red blooms in a glass vase with stone fruit and plums in a brass bowl, set on a polished dark table.
Pale roses and white blossom clusters sit in two vases on a table. Oil still life by Michael Klein of pink and cream roses in a square glass beside round white blossom clusters in a dark blue vase, with fallen petals scattered across the wooden table.
Squash, grapes and a small potted flower rest on a rough wooden table. Oil still life by Michael Klein of green and butternut squash with purple grapes on a wooden table, a potted pale flower in a box beside them and vines climbing the wall behind.
White roses and blackberries lie on burlap beside old metal buckets. Oil still life by Michael Klein with white roses, weathered metal buckets and spilled blackberries on rough burlap against a pale wall. Muted greens and tans keep the scene calm.
Oranges spill from a tipped crate and a metal bucket across a table. Oil still life by Michael Klein of oranges scattered across a worn wooden table, some spilling from a tipped crate and a metal bucket. Grey tones set off the bright fruit.
Cut white and pink roses lie across a table beside a glass vase. Oil still life by Michael Klein of cut white, pink and dark purple roses laid across a warm toned table beside a clear glass vase, with a textured wall behind.
A pitchfork and coiled rope rest on a plank over a sawhorse. Oil painting by Michael Klein of a pitchfork and coiled rope resting on a plank over a sawhorse, with a hook hanging below. Pale walls and long shadows frame the farm tools.
Lemons on a leafy branch reflect on a dark surface. Oil still life by Michael Klein of yellow lemons tied to a leafy branch on a dark, reflective surface. Light picks out the rough rind against the near black background.
A fish rests on foil beside a brass bowl of lemons. Oil still life by Michael Klein of two fish on crumpled foil and a plate, beside a brass bowl of lemons. A white cloth and dark ground set up strong contrast.
A bearded man in glasses stands beside a framed portrait of an older man. Photograph of a bearded man in glasses and a dark blazer beside a large framed portrait painting of an older man in a pink shirt and dark jacket. Michael Klein paints portraits as well as florals.
Q: Why look at Michael Klein’s work
A: Look because Michael Klein balances classical craft with a modern eye, and Michael Klein makes ordinary things feel important.
“Paint what you love and the rest will listen.”
See more of Michael Klein’s floral still lifes on his official website: Michael Klein’s Official Website