Who is Michael Pintar?
I'm retired living the dream in sunny Florida. My passion for art and visual representation of things is a constant trait I have. It 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, but it turns out plein air painting (on location, outside) 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 and about 1990 when I started picking up a pencil again to draw. Right out of high school I landed a job as a draftsman, so I know how to handle graphite and draw straight lines. I worked as a mechanical designer until 1984 when I went back to college. 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 an illustrator. Isometric perspective was something new for me and 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 got fired by the new owners. What to do? I had got involved with Grand Valley Artists which allowed me to get 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 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 and about 1990 when I started picking up a pencil again to draw. Right out of high school I landed a job as a draftsman, so I know how to handle graphite and draw straight lines. I worked as a mechanical designer until 1984 when I went back to college. 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 an illustrator. Isometric perspective was something new for me and 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 got fired by the new owners. What to do? I had got involved with Grand Valley Artists which allowed me to get 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 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. Four seasons offered lots of different subject matter. For five years I participated in the Door County Plein Air Festival quick paint event.
In 2015, my wife and I retired and moved to The Villages, Florida. I am 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- present, Instructor at The Villages Enrichment Academy, Intro to Oil Painting
In 2015, my wife and I retired and moved to The Villages, Florida. I am 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- present, Instructor at The Villages Enrichment Academy, Intro to Oil Painting
