Michael Mobius (b.1968)

"Through the use of intelligent light and shadow I strive to create sensual moments in time that portray a heightened sense of reality. My work is about the mystery of emotion and the power of expression.

Michael Mobius.

"I have always been fascinated with natural movement and form. As a small child, my first paintings were of animals and muscular comic book characters. As I matured, naturally my admiration evolved into the most elegant of form, the female form.

"Looking for direction, I found myself instantly drawn to the pinup works of Sorayama whose style and techniques were amazing to me. I was instantly inspired to teach myself the ability to create art as unique and powerful as his. As can be seen in my early paintings, the work of Hajime Sorayama was instrumental in helping me create the early building blocks of my own unique style. I tried to capture the composition he mastered yet with the addition of my own cleaner lines and softer form. Even though Sorayama's style was an inspiration, the largest influence on me as an artist has come from Renato Casaro.

"As a native of East Germany life became very different for me when the wall came down. For the first time, we were able to view American and European movies and with those movies came my introduction to movie posters. By far the greatest movie artist is that of Renato Casaro. Witnessing his paintings would change my work forever. After sending a letter of admiration I felt would never be returned, I was surprised to be contacted by Casaro himself and afforded a meeting. Seeing his originals and being allowed to witness his techniques in person was a gift that I can never reciprocate.

"Learning the use of atmosphere and expression to build mood and character has had the largest affect on my work. For a painting to be great, it needs to exist on many different levels. You need to feel the expression and be touched by the emotions the painting is communicating. These lessons, as well as his positive influence and friendship, have helped me to develop as both a person and an artist. I will be forever grateful.

"I find my greatest new inspiration to be photography and the realistic life it portrays. Fashion and the models that display its beauty fascinate me. I am challenged by the difficulty of creating images that portray a heightened reality yet still posses the honesty of the moment. My goal is not to paint pretty women but to visually communicate the beauty of the female form and the power of a sensual moment. I find inspiration in the natural light of the morning and the soft shadows of the afternoon. All of these moments are my muse and help me to create my paintings. Most importantly I would like to thank my parents for all their love and support, because without them I would never have had the courage to succeed."