Biography:
Ted Michener has been painting for seven decades. His fine arts training consists of six summers (as a teen-ager and young lad ) at the Doon School of Fine Arts near Kitchener, Ont. While there, he was instructed by several renowned artists such as Carl Shaeffer, Jock MacDonald, Yvonne Housser, A J Carson and many other outstanding artists of the era. After Graduating with honours from the Ontario College of Art in Communication Art & Illustration, in 1968, he freelanced in Toronto with his talented wife Pat Palmer for twenty-six years, and worked with his agent Joe Mendola in New York City for twelve years. He was also nominated for the travelling scholarship upon completion of his studies at OCA, now called the Ontario Collage of Art and Design. Ted taught at his Alma Mater for many years in the evening program and at Central Technical School and Sheridan College as well.
He’s illustrated for TV Guide, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and Readers Digest to name but a few. Along the way, he has received many awards in the commercial and editorial art field and also, in 1998, was the recipient of a Canada Counsel Grant to teach “oils” in Bacalar, Mexico. Aside from working in his St. Andrews seaside studio in New Brunswick, he also cartoons for the St. Croix Courier, a maritime bi-weekly. He has won first place honours several times in the East Coast newspaper awards as well as in national newspaper competitions.
His fine art purchases span the globe from, Russia (with love?), to Europe, Mexico, and beyond.
Artist Statement:
Impressionistic or semi-abstract would probably identify my work. I tend to resist classification by not immersing myself into any one ongoing genre. Over the years I have ventured into many genres including landscapes, seascapes, still life and editorial cartooning. I experiment somewhat, as formal representation is not my way of subverting subjects into a final solution. Motion and depth are paramount as I develop a canvas. Through basic design elements I create this continuous motion enabling the eye to flow fluidly throughout the composition.
Painting “En Plain Air” is my first love, but often is not doable mainly because of our unpredictable weather here in the Maritimes. Working from digital images certainly gives one a myriad of subjects and overviews, and this now is my usual source. I am however, most fortunate to have a beautiful view of Passamaquoddy Bay with the Niger Reef right outside my studio window. This astounding scene I’ve put to canvas many times. Visual stimuli is everywhere here in our beautiful province!