Michael Breyette | True Colors Part 1

MORE THEN A YEAR AGO WE INTRODUCED YOU TO MICHAEL BREYETTE, AN AMERICAN ARTIST WITH A FAST GROWING REPUTATION FOR HIS PAINTINGS OF GAY MEN. AFTER THAT FIRST ARTICLE IN AUGUST 2005, WE HAVE BEEN WRITING ABOUT MICHAEL’S ART ON REGULAR BASE. NOW WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND THE PAINTINGS.

Michael, from your online biography we learn you were brought up in rural upstate New York, in a conservative surrounding. Not the most ideal environment to develop yourself as a gay artist. How does your family look upon your work and accomplishments ?

Michael: Anything related to my being gay is never mentioned. So, while I am pretty sure they must know about my art career it’s not talked about. My parents come from a Catholic background, so a lot of sexual repression there. My painting male nudes is bad enough, them having to acknowledge it would cause them to burst into flames!

You started with painting peoples portraits on commission, but grew tired of not being able to express your own creativity in this. This resulted in you not painting for several years. What did you do in this period before you came out with your fantasy nude art?

Michael: My art had always been just a hobby while I had a regular job, I didn’t know the first thing about turning it into a career. It’s not like I could go down to my local café or art store and have them display my drawings of hot men in jockstraps ! I still did a painting once in a while but each one I did I had to find space to store it. So instead I used my creativity on other projects, mostly a couple of personal websites I created. One was a music webzine. The other you’ll surely find amusing.

Before eBay became overrun by ‘family values’, a lot of guys sold their used gym gear, jockstraps and underwear at auction. Having an underwear fetish myself, I thought hey that’s kind of weird but sort of a turn on. Now, I am no gym god now or 5 years ago but I was in better shape than some of those guys, so I tried selling too. I discovered that I was not only a bit of a voyeur but also a bit of an exhibitionist. It was great fun and extra spending money while it lasted. Below are a few pics I found from my brief selling days.

Finally I put 2 and 2 together and put up a website of my artwork. Now that I had found an audience, an outlet for my creations, I was inspired to nurture and explore my art. I could sell them to guys who would appreciate them instead of tucking them away in my closet.

You have been drawing male nudes for several years now. What can you tell us about your style development ?

Michael: For me the crux of being an artist is the continual evolution. It’s what makes it interesting and keeps it enjoyable. Early on I really did not have the experience with pastels to tackle complex backgrounds. I was even intimidated by color. Though it can be frustrating when tackling something new, it’s important that my works have some sort of challenge for me. Whether it’s skill or content, I need something for me to view proudly as an accomplishment. As each piece gives me experience technically I also feel I get better at conveying the emotions I want, sensuality, passion, pride, optimism, whatever it is I am after in each painting. -B-

The Beautiful-Michael Breyette Interview continues coming Monday, October 16.

MICHAEL BREYETTE | BEAUTIFUL

Comments

[Martin Brant]

I've looked at at lot of gay art, and there is a lot of talent out there, but I personally believe Michael creates the best male art around. His work, the detail, the colors, the scenes are breath taking. He creates the fantasies inside of every man's head. The guy washing the red car is amazing.

[David Henry]

I met Michael at the Tom of Finland Erotic Art Show in New York a few years ago and bought the first piece of what has become a collection of his works. Michael's Catholic upbringing is evident in his quiet, shy, somewhat self-effacing manner. He is clearly a gifted artist with a keen perception of the grace and beauty of the male form. His works also possess a deep sense of soul and individuality, which is perhaps also the result of his Catholic background. I think with Michael we are seeing the emergence of a significant gay artist. As his profile continues to rise, I hope he will explore new and maybe more daring avenues of expression. Catholicism doesn't have to be an obstacle to this, as Michelangelo and many others have shown.

[Boyd Hester]

Michael is an amazing his artist. I have been following his art for years. His themes are so very real as his paintings and use of colors is what makes his paintings come alive.