'Vujá Dé,' by Paul Micich, Acrylic and Alkyd on Canvas Painting, 2016

This 40" x 30" acrylic and alkyd on canvas painting, 'Vuja De,' by Paul Micich is from the artist's 'Paper Airplane' series. A headless black coat wearing figure stands in the forefront and middle of a red color background. At the collar of the coat is an upward explosion of white paper airplanes.

"oh no
not me
not you
we have our plan
the path is plain to see
we’ll stick to it
it all adds up
I’M SURE
…I’ll just take a moment

Can a coat have a gesture?
Can it have a sense of dimension with monochrome brush strokes on a flat canvas?
Can a flat red ground help bring that illusion to life?
What is the perspective in a piece of folded paper?
What kind of shadows would those pieces of paper make?

All these ingredients are familiar.
Are they enough?" -- Paul Micich

"I was a musician before I was an artist. It informs all my work. There’s that place between the necessity of discipline and the necessity of letting go, of following a map and then throwing it away. The face I found in this canvas led me to a place where there was no map, no footpath, just the exuberance of the paint and the brush and whoever I am. The people who inhabit my paintings are dreamers, but I can’t will their dreams, or the viewer’s connection to them. I can only search for them, one brushstroke at a time, one beat at a time, until I hear their music. Then I can hope you’ll hear it too." -- Paul Micich

Micich’s work has earned him Gold and Silver awards from the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. His work has been chosen to be in illustration annuals for Communication Arts magazine, The Society of Illustrators (New York) and Spectrum International Annual for Fantastic Art.

His illustrated edition of the book, "The Littlest Angel," has sold over 1.4 million copies. His illustrated book, "She Taught Me to Eat Artichokes," by Mary Kay Shanley, has been a regional best-seller. Micich illustrated "The Memory Box" and "Rhythm of the Seasons," also picture books with stories written by Mary Kay Shanley.

Micich’s band, WORLD PORT, plays his original “world-view” instrumental music. They have five CDs. Micich has performed throughout the Midwest and the nation, including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. WORLD PORT has played for art festivals in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, California and Washington State.