Artist Statement and Bio

Michael Litewski is an award-winning American contemporary multi-disciplinary fine artist and visual story teller living and working in Zion IL. His home studio is equipped with the materials, tools, and machinery needed to plan and execute the various components of his highly aesthetic, symbolic and conceptual drawings, paintings, mixed media constructions, and sunken relief sculptures. Litewski works in many medias and is continuing to explore new formats as his work progresses.

Presently his works largely explore the current societal state of the “house and home” starting first with an emphasis on the simple “house” shape which supports endless creative possibilities. Using a wide range of medias, Litewski weaves stories, ideas, and concepts from national and global events, social trends, and the political issues of today’s world into his complex, multi-faceted creations.

While exploring the impact of external forces on the house and home, Litewski has ably tackled a wide range of subjects in his works, including addiction, war, censorship, corruption, the Information Age, mass media communication, fake news, migration, and climate change, as well as his own personal struggles. Each work follows an independent creative process yet all of the works are closely inter-related resulting in a cohesive, thought-provoking and engaging collection.

“In my house-and-home series I have attempted to unlock what seem to be random ideas or story lines into a body of work that is more and more expansive in scale and complexity. Using graphite, paint, wood, resin, and plastic, I challenge myself to explore different opportunities with each of these media. As the art develops, new stories and directions happen.

The inspiration for this series came from a 3-year period of physical separation from my wife when we could not live together as she pursued her career. Living in two different places and managing two homes began influencing my art-making process. As ideas took shape, I used the house-and-home concept to tell stories not only of our past and future but also of our day-to-day lives as we become more tribal as a species.”

Litewski is a Midwest native, has been creating art for 40 years, and is primarily self-taught as an artist. His works have been exhibited in galleries and museums, juried exhibitions, and multi-state biennials throughout the Midwest and in New York city. He is currently an affiliate artist at Blue Moon Gallery in Grayslake IL.  He draws inspiration from a wide range of creatives including Ai Wei Wei, Laurie Anderson, Hilma af Klimt, the Chicago Imagists, and Frank Stella. He enjoys documentaries, organic gardening, traveling, and spending time with his family and 7 grandchildren. He has worked as a quality control specialist for a global Fortune 500 company for 30 years.

Telling stories through visual art has become Litewski’s way to look forward while inspiring others to do the same.