"kOffee with Art" a conversation with Mike Kramer
- Toronto Artists
- Jun 28, 2024
- 4 min read
Written by Mac Jame
This past weekend in Burlington, I had a great opportunity to catch up with Mike Kramer at his art exhibition at Burlington Centre. The Hub Studio space was ideal for those who wanted to get out of the sun. (“The Hub” which is supported by the Art Gallery of Burlington) The show featured more than 40 pieces of his paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Each piece is different, and he incorporates fun ideas in his work, creating a unique, engaging experience for his audience. Mike Kramer has a style with wild fierce vivid colours, which is evident in his paintings. One has to see his brush strokes up close to realize the thought process generated to bring his work to life. The event was well-attended, with many art enthusiasts admiring and discussing his work. He came up with his name “kOffee with Art” because it is different and memorable. His passion for art and coffee is evident in one of his paintings, there is quite a unique story he explained to us about coffee vs sunset painting. I’ll get that in the story below.
Sitting for a portait painting with Mike Kramer
On Saturday, we returned to his show and learned more about his passion for art. Mary and I had volunteered to sit for about an hour for the portrait painting. He said thank you for coming back and told us the colours we selected for that day were inspiring for his creativity. In the background, he was playing Latin music which he said gets him in the rhythm for painting. He said that for most of his portrait-sitting, people often wear clothes that don’t have much colour, and he finds it a bit of a challenge if they wear a white shirt and the background is white. You kind of get the feeling that there is no depth or contrast when it's all white; it all blends, and it's hard to get the subject matter to stand out. I had a chance to paint with him and talk about his past work and upcoming shows. The one thing that helps out a lot is networking with other Artists and being a member of the Art Gallery of Burlington.. I asked if I could take some clips of his painting. (You can see a video below)
While watching him I admired how effortlessly he captured our likeness and the vibrant colors of our clothing. His brush strokes are loose and spontaneous with well-thought-out use of colour...The artist's technique was created by layering acrylic paint without blending, creating a vibrant and dynamic portrait. His ability to capture the essence of his subjects through loose brush strokes and bold colors truly brought the painting to life. Here is some good advice, that I have learned: if you are going to do a portrait painting in the future, wear something bright and colourful that reflects your personality.
Coffee vs a Sunset
While he was painting I was admiring his work and I stumbled upon a painting of a bright sunset and complimented him on the style and use of colour. Now this is where there is this fun amazing twist on the story. A sunset painting versus a Tim Hortons Shop you would not believe that there is a huge difference in what is relevant to people of what happens in today's world. We talked about whether or not it got much attention on the internet and social media and how it worked with his audience. He said when he posted the picture of the Tim Hortons shop that he captured on his trip, and when he posted it versus the sunset painting. He had more people like it and the algorithm leaned more towards the store thus capturing a wider audience. He said “ People like paintings that they can resonate with and are familiar experiences and lifestyle.”
To summarise it simply for example if you paint a flower vs a landmark location you may like it or find it interesting. However, in reality, the thought process of today's society has changed drastically in what they tend to do routinely. There is a metric of how many other people would like it. The measurement of the success of a painting is at a new level, one paints today and has to reflect the social norms of today's trending market, “ AI” and Alogorythm at any given time. Therefore, the popularity and acceptance of certain art styles may fluctuate as societal norms and trends change. He explained that he was experimenting with different techniques to appeal to a wider audience and stay relevant in the ever-changing art world. This conversation made me realize the importance of adapting one's artistic style to reflect current societal trends and preferences.
The artwork of Mike Kramer
Mike does a wide range of art from drawings to paintings and sculptures. One sculpture that stood out was the Raven. It was a sculpture made of wood of Raven resting on the side of a branch. This was an amazing conversation piece as the dark mysterious bird has been captured in many different cultures, folklore, and stories. He said the raven is a smart bird in many different ways and knows its place. He was inspired to create this sculpture because he saw the raven in the furthest remote regions of Canada. On one of his work expeditions to the Northern region of Canada, the pilot dropped him off in a snow-covered field with just his bags. The place was completely desolated and empty. In that moment he saw the raven sitting on a tree and heard it make its eco noise screeching. He asked the pilot where he was to go, there was that brief pause. The pilot did not say much as he pointed to the horizon of 3 buildings. He could not believe such a barren place where he stayed and continued with his work. This is one of the many great stories he tells of such. These places have inspired him as the birds' survival techniques to stay alive and hunt make it intriguing. Mike’s work tells a story behind each piece of art as he witnessed the events. To completely summarize everything he created has been taken from living life and his travels.
Mike's work features a stunning collection of paintings and sculptures, which truly showcase his talent and creativity. To see more of his work visit his social media outlets
Website https://koffeewithart.com/
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