Who is Michael Pintar?
I'm retired and living the American dream in sunny central Florida. My passion for art and visual representation of things is a trait I have that goes way back and has come full circle. It started on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, when I was about 12 years old, painting along side my grandmother off the beach by Palos Verdes, California. I didn't know it at the time, but it turns out plein air painting (on location, outdoors) goes back to the days of Rembrandt and was glorified by the Impressionists, such as Monet. I was bitten by the art bug!
I took a lot of time off between those early days in the 70's until about 1990 when I started picking up a pencil again to draw. Out of high school I worked as a mechanical draftsman until 1983 when I went back to college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My dream was to be a fashion illustrator, maybe venture down to Chicago. But that didn't happen and I came out of school and worked as a keyline paste-up artist for about a year. A friend of mine was working at a technical publications company and said I should try to get in as a technical illustrator. Isometric perspective was something new for me but I ended up working as an illustrator for 5 years. During that time I didn't do much of any art, except for a few graphite portraits. I was too busy working.
By 2000 I had started my own software development company, sold it, and was "purged" during the dotcom bubble meltdown. What to do? I had got involved with Grand Valley Artists which allowed me to venture back into being creative. I also learned how to use pastels. I had some time on my hands so I started painting more. My daughter was in a Grand Rapids, Michigan elementary school and I saw a need to offer more art to those kids than what was being offered. So, Aspiring Artists was born: An after-school art program that grew into 12 schools that found me hiring college kids to help deliver the program. We moved from Michigan back to Wisconsin, and I introduced the program to our new school district. Four new schools let me introduce more art to hundreds of kids. It was fun...and exhausting. Not a teacher, just an artist.
I took a lot of time off between those early days in the 70's until about 1990 when I started picking up a pencil again to draw. Out of high school I worked as a mechanical draftsman until 1983 when I went back to college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My dream was to be a fashion illustrator, maybe venture down to Chicago. But that didn't happen and I came out of school and worked as a keyline paste-up artist for about a year. A friend of mine was working at a technical publications company and said I should try to get in as a technical illustrator. Isometric perspective was something new for me but I ended up working as an illustrator for 5 years. During that time I didn't do much of any art, except for a few graphite portraits. I was too busy working.
By 2000 I had started my own software development company, sold it, and was "purged" during the dotcom bubble meltdown. What to do? I had got involved with Grand Valley Artists which allowed me to venture back into being creative. I also learned how to use pastels. I had some time on my hands so I started painting more. My daughter was in a Grand Rapids, Michigan elementary school and I saw a need to offer more art to those kids than what was being offered. So, Aspiring Artists was born: An after-school art program that grew into 12 schools that found me hiring college kids to help deliver the program. We moved from Michigan back to Wisconsin, and I introduced the program to our new school district. Four new schools let me introduce more art to hundreds of kids. It was fun...and exhausting. Not a teacher, just an artist.
I exhibited in three galleries in SE Wisconsin for about seven years. I got involved with the Wisconsin Plein Air Painters and became very interested in this type of painting, along the way winning several awards in different outdoor plein air events. Four seasons offered lots of different subject matter. For five years I participated in the Door County Plein Air Festival quick paint event, selling out each year.
In 2015, my wife and I retired and moved to The Villages, Florida. I'm a member of The Villages Art League and exhibit at their bi-annual shows. I also host quarterly wine and paint parties known as Aspiring Artists. This time it's for adults wishing to expand their creative artistic talents usually over a glass of wine.
Awards and Achievements
1973- 1st Place, Parents without Partners (a support group event my mom was involved in). Submitted a seascape oil painting. Age 16
2007- Honorable Mention Downer Avenue Plein Air Festival (aka Third Ward Plein Air Festival)
2008-2014- Invited artist Open Canvas, Milwaukee WI
2009- 2nd Place Waukesha, WI Art Fest
2010- Honorable Mention and Artists Choice New Berlin, WI Plein Air Paint Out
2012- 2nd Place New Berlin, WI Plein Air Paint Out
2012-2016- Lead instructor, Intro to Oil Painting, Wauwatosa Adult Education program
2013- Honorable Mention, Pewaukee WI Plein Air event
2015- 1st Place Entertainment category, Wisconsin State Fair Plein Air Exhibit
2016- 2nd Place, Inspired by the Masters exhibit, Villages Art League
2017- 1st Place, Winter Park, FL Plein Air quick paint
2017- Past Instructor at The Villages Enrichment Academy, Intro to Oil Painting and Advanced Oil Painting
In 2015, my wife and I retired and moved to The Villages, Florida. I'm a member of The Villages Art League and exhibit at their bi-annual shows. I also host quarterly wine and paint parties known as Aspiring Artists. This time it's for adults wishing to expand their creative artistic talents usually over a glass of wine.
Awards and Achievements
1973- 1st Place, Parents without Partners (a support group event my mom was involved in). Submitted a seascape oil painting. Age 16
2007- Honorable Mention Downer Avenue Plein Air Festival (aka Third Ward Plein Air Festival)
2008-2014- Invited artist Open Canvas, Milwaukee WI
2009- 2nd Place Waukesha, WI Art Fest
2010- Honorable Mention and Artists Choice New Berlin, WI Plein Air Paint Out
2012- 2nd Place New Berlin, WI Plein Air Paint Out
2012-2016- Lead instructor, Intro to Oil Painting, Wauwatosa Adult Education program
2013- Honorable Mention, Pewaukee WI Plein Air event
2015- 1st Place Entertainment category, Wisconsin State Fair Plein Air Exhibit
2016- 2nd Place, Inspired by the Masters exhibit, Villages Art League
2017- 1st Place, Winter Park, FL Plein Air quick paint
2017- Past Instructor at The Villages Enrichment Academy, Intro to Oil Painting and Advanced Oil Painting
