Michael Summers

Michael Summers is a talented artist known for his captivating works that seamlessly blend the realms of mural art and fine art. With a background in mural painting, Michael Summers has brought his expertise and vision to create vibrant and immersive scenes that captivate viewers. Summers artistic style is characterized by its use of bold, vivid colors and dynamic compositions.

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About Michael Summers

Michael Summers was born in Los Angeles sometime during the Carter administration. He grew up in Joshua Tree, California surrounded by a cavalcade of eccentric art-commune inhabiting social dropouts, idealistic dreamers, and rural American free thinkers. Art and creativity surrounded Michael from an early age and has been a pivotal part of his identity throughout his life. He left home in his early twenties and after drifting from Virginia, to Missouri, then Texas, he returned to San Diego, California, finally settling in Oceanside, where he currently lives and works.

A classically trained artist, Michael Summers blends the meticulous techniques of the old-world masters with contemporary, hyper-saturated imagery to create deceptively whimsical paintings, alive with hidden meaning. His paintings take us into a crisp and colorful world, full of nostalgia, splendor, and whimsy. Within each vibrant scene are playful reminders that our everyday lives are filled with wonder, beauty, and magic, if only we allow our eyes to see it.

Michael’s painting style is rooted in contemporary west coast surrealism with a strong pop sensibility; he uses the pop surrealist style as a tool to reflect his inner vision: creating the impossible and more importantly, making the impossible seem plausible. He creates imaginary characters – often alluding to mythical archetypes – in acrylic paint with a keen hyper-attentiveness. His unorthodox use of intense saturation and arbitrary, multi-chromatic hues encourages the viewer to look a little closer, a little longer. The recognizable subjects of animals, automatons, and humans suddenly become magical and extraordinary. Yet, they somehow still retain the nostalgia of a childhood memory that was once long forgotten.

Michael Summers has been sharing his art through murals and gallery exhibitions since 2008. During that time, he has had the privilege to be chosen as the featured artist for the San Diego Food & Wine Festival, Mission Federal ArtWalk San Diego, and the La Jolla Festival of the Arts. He was commissioned by the City of Carlsbad and Harrah’s Resorts SoCal to create large-scale murals that are seen by thousands daily, as well as being chosen as a featured mural artist at prominent art and music festivals such as Lightning in a Bottle and Life is Beautiful Las Vegas. Represented in galleries from coast to coast, the rising exposure of Michael Summers’ work has made him highly sought after by collectors all over the world.

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Questions Answered

Yes! Michael Summers does custom commission paintings, as well as revisitations of previous works. To begin the process of a Michael Summers commission please reach out to us here.

After many years in the art world, Michael Summers burst into the world of fine art in 2008. After being classically trained and sought after for his mural work, he immediately became a highly collected artist.

You will see much of Michael Summers’ mural work around his home town of San Diego. You can see some of his early murals like “Cat Nap” in Carlsbad!

Michael Summers grew up in Joshua Tree surrounded by artists. For much of its history “and before the U2 album” Joshua Tree was notorious for its artistic representation of new and fresh ideas. After growing up surrounded by the kind of free representation  he was allowed Summers’ decided to dedicate his life to the art scene.

Michael Summers Subjects

One of Summers’ notable subjects is animals, which he portrays with a unique twist. His artwork often features various animals set against a backdrop of rainbow-colored paint dripping from the canvas. This technique adds an element of movement and a sense of whimsy to his pieces, creating a visually striking and joyful experience.

All Weather Friend
$825.00$965.00
Birds of Paradise
$1,215.00$1,515.00
Bright Eyes Blue
$500.00$965.00
Bright Eyes Red
$500.00$965.00
Freedom
$825.00$965.00
Happy Hour
$1,025.00$1,215.00
Horiyoshi’s Pride
$500.00$750.00
New Americana
$500.00$750.00
Orca
$1,025.00$1,215.00
Rainbow Honu
$850.00$965.00
Rainbow Rhino Family
$1,400.00$1,515.00
Sir Lance-A-Bot
$500.00$750.00
The Artist
$1,400.00$1,750.00
The Pride
$1,400.00$1,790.00

Ordering Michael Summers Art at Marcus Ashley Gallery

Our art consultants are pleased to bring you the opportunity to purchase Michael Summers fine art for your own collection. You can also present your commission idea to our consultants for a unique piece of art that is meaningful to you individually. Get started with the commission process.

Explore the Fine Art Services at Marcus Ashley Gallery

Our renowned gallery is fully-equipped with services such as custom framing, financing options, private home shows for local clients, insured international shipping, and more. Our knowledgeable and professional art consultants ensure that the process of purchasing Michael Summers artwork for your collection will be seamless, personalized, and enjoyable. Explore our gallery here or in person in South Lake Tahoe.