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Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
A.L. With Sweater  12.5" x 8.5"  Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

A.L. With Sweater (SOLD)

12.5" x 8.5"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

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Anxiety  15" x 10"  Fabric, Yarn And Thread

Anxiety

15" x 10"

Fabric, Yarn And Thread

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A.M. In 2020  24.25" x 12"  Mixed Media On Canvas

A.M. In 2020

24.25" x 12"

Mixed Media On Canvas

 

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Authenticity  15" x 8"  Mixed Media On Panel

Authenticity

15" x 8"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Ben With A Knit Cap  15" x 6.75"  Acrylic On Canvas

Ben With A Knit Cap

15" x 6.75"

Acrylic On Canvas

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Ben's Ying Or Yang  9.5" x 6.5"  Acrylic On Canvas

Ben's Ying Or Yang

9.5" x 6.5"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

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Bill Via Zoom  11.5" x 10.5"  Acrylic On Canvas

Bill Via Zoom

11.5" x 10.5"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

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Chanda SHC  24" x 22"  Acrylic And Pompoms On Stretched Canvas

Chanda SHC

24" x 22"

Acrylic And Pompoms On Stretched Canvas

 

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Derrick 1 SHC  24.5" x 15.75"  Acrylic, Fabric, Yarn And Ink On Board

Derrick 1 SHC

24.5" x 15.75"

Acrylic, Fabric, Yarn And Ink On Board

 

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Derrick 2 SHC  18.5" x 11"  Acrylic, Fabric And Ink On Board

Derrick 2 SHC (SOLD)

18.5" x 11"

Acrylic, Fabric And Ink On Board

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Diaspora  30" x 14"  Mixed Media On Panel

Diaspora

30" x 14"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Filling The Gratitude Cup  43.5" x 29"  Mixed Media

Filling The Gratitude Cup (SOLD)

43.5" x 29"

Mixed Media

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Live In The Moment  10.5" Diameter  Tufted Yarn And Fabric

Live In The Moment (SOLD)

10.5" Diameter

Tufted Yarn And Fabric

 

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L.M. Via Zoom  24.25" x 15"  Mixed Media And Collage On Canvas

L.M. Via Zoom

24.25" x 15"

Mixed Media And Collage On Canvas

 

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L.R. With Stickers  24.5" x 16.5"  Acrylic, Mixed Media, And Collage On Panel

L.R. With Stickers

24.5" x 16.5"

Acrylic, Mixed Media, And Collage On Panel

 

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Main Character Energy  20" x 16"  Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

Main Character Energy

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

 

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Metal Gear  20" x 16"  Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

Metal Gear (SOLD)

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

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No Pepperoni  12" x 9"  Mixed Media On Canvas

No Pepperoni (SOLD)

12" x 9"

Mixed Media On Canvas

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Popcorn Man  24" x 12"   Mixed Media On Canvas

Popcorn Man

24" x 12" 

Mixed Media On Canvas

 

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Prints Black  20.5" x 12"  Mixed Media On Panel

Prints Black

20.5" x 12"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Put A Bird On It (SOLD)

14.5" x 10"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

Put A Bird On It (SOLD)

14.5" x 10"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

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Raw  11.5" x 9"  Acrylic On Canvas

Raw

11.5" x 9"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

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Salimah  20" x 16"  Acrylic On Canvas

Salimah

20" x 16"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

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Self-Improvement  24.5" x 16"  Mixed Media On Panel

Self-Improvement (SOLD)

24.5" x 16"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Self Portrait With Pfizer Band-aid  24.5" x 10.5"  Acrylic, Ink, Glitter And Collaged Bandage On Canvas

Self Portrait With Pfizer Band-aid

24.5" x 10.5"

Acrylic, Ink, Glitter And Collaged Bandage On Canvas

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Self Portrait With Re9al Shirt  24" x 16"  Acrylic On Canvas

Self Portrait With Re9al Shirt

24" x 16"

Acrylic On Canvas

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Self Portrait 2020  20" x 16"  Mixed Media On Canvas

Self Portrait 2020 (SOLD)

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Canvas

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Tameeka, PEC Shelter Resident  24.5" x 14"  Acrylic On Canvas

Tameeka, PEC Shelter Resident

24.5" x 14"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

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The Best Thing Is To Have No Fear  33" x 23"  Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

The Best Thing Is To Have No Fear (SOLD)

33" x 23"

Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

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The Panic Attack  44.5" x 31"  Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

The Panic Attack

44.5" x 31"

Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

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The Perils  18" x 9"  Mixed Media On Panel

The Perils

18" x 9"

Mixed Media On Panel

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The Veil  16.5" x 12"  Mixed Media On Panel

The Veil (SOLD)

16.5" x 12"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Wake Up!  30" x 51"  Mixed Media

Wake Up!

30" x 51"

Mixed Media

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A.L. With Sweater  12.5" x 8.5"  Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

A.L. With Sweater (SOLD)

12.5" x 8.5"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

Anxiety  15" x 10"  Fabric, Yarn And Thread

Anxiety

15" x 10"

Fabric, Yarn And Thread

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A.M. In 2020  24.25" x 12"  Mixed Media On Canvas

A.M. In 2020

24.25" x 12"

Mixed Media On Canvas

 

Authenticity  15" x 8"  Mixed Media On Panel

Authenticity

15" x 8"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Ben With A Knit Cap  15" x 6.75"  Acrylic On Canvas

Ben With A Knit Cap

15" x 6.75"

Acrylic On Canvas

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Ben's Ying Or Yang  9.5" x 6.5"  Acrylic On Canvas

Ben's Ying Or Yang

9.5" x 6.5"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

Bill Via Zoom  11.5" x 10.5"  Acrylic On Canvas

Bill Via Zoom

11.5" x 10.5"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

Chanda SHC  24" x 22"  Acrylic And Pompoms On Stretched Canvas

Chanda SHC

24" x 22"

Acrylic And Pompoms On Stretched Canvas

 

Derrick 1 SHC  24.5" x 15.75"  Acrylic, Fabric, Yarn And Ink On Board

Derrick 1 SHC

24.5" x 15.75"

Acrylic, Fabric, Yarn And Ink On Board

 

Derrick 2 SHC  18.5" x 11"  Acrylic, Fabric And Ink On Board

Derrick 2 SHC (SOLD)

18.5" x 11"

Acrylic, Fabric And Ink On Board

Diaspora  30" x 14"  Mixed Media On Panel

Diaspora

30" x 14"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Filling The Gratitude Cup  43.5" x 29"  Mixed Media

Filling The Gratitude Cup (SOLD)

43.5" x 29"

Mixed Media

Live In The Moment  10.5" Diameter  Tufted Yarn And Fabric

Live In The Moment (SOLD)

10.5" Diameter

Tufted Yarn And Fabric

 

L.M. Via Zoom  24.25" x 15"  Mixed Media And Collage On Canvas

L.M. Via Zoom

24.25" x 15"

Mixed Media And Collage On Canvas

 

L.R. With Stickers  24.5" x 16.5"  Acrylic, Mixed Media, And Collage On Panel

L.R. With Stickers

24.5" x 16.5"

Acrylic, Mixed Media, And Collage On Panel

 

Main Character Energy  20" x 16"  Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

Main Character Energy

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

 

Metal Gear  20" x 16"  Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

Metal Gear (SOLD)

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

No Pepperoni  12" x 9"  Mixed Media On Canvas

No Pepperoni (SOLD)

12" x 9"

Mixed Media On Canvas

Popcorn Man  24" x 12"   Mixed Media On Canvas

Popcorn Man

24" x 12" 

Mixed Media On Canvas

 

Prints Black  20.5" x 12"  Mixed Media On Panel

Prints Black

20.5" x 12"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Put A Bird On It (SOLD)

14.5" x 10"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

Put A Bird On It (SOLD)

14.5" x 10"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

Raw  11.5" x 9"  Acrylic On Canvas

Raw

11.5" x 9"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

Salimah  20" x 16"  Acrylic On Canvas

Salimah

20" x 16"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

Self-Improvement  24.5" x 16"  Mixed Media On Panel

Self-Improvement (SOLD)

24.5" x 16"

Mixed Media On Panel

Self Portrait With Pfizer Band-aid  24.5" x 10.5"  Acrylic, Ink, Glitter And Collaged Bandage On Canvas

Self Portrait With Pfizer Band-aid

24.5" x 10.5"

Acrylic, Ink, Glitter And Collaged Bandage On Canvas

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Self Portrait With Re9al Shirt  24" x 16"  Acrylic On Canvas

Self Portrait With Re9al Shirt

24" x 16"

Acrylic On Canvas

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Self Portrait 2020  20" x 16"  Mixed Media On Canvas

Self Portrait 2020 (SOLD)

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Canvas

Tameeka, PEC Shelter Resident  24.5" x 14"  Acrylic On Canvas

Tameeka, PEC Shelter Resident

24.5" x 14"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

The Best Thing Is To Have No Fear  33" x 23"  Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

The Best Thing Is To Have No Fear (SOLD)

33" x 23"

Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

The Panic Attack  44.5" x 31"  Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

The Panic Attack

44.5" x 31"

Mixed Media On Primary Tufting Cloth

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The Perils  18" x 9"  Mixed Media On Panel

The Perils

18" x 9"

Mixed Media On Panel

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The Veil  16.5" x 12"  Mixed Media On Panel

The Veil (SOLD)

16.5" x 12"

Mixed Media On Panel

Wake Up!  30" x 51"  Mixed Media

Wake Up!

30" x 51"

Mixed Media

Shop

"Preoccupation with the sitter's perception of your painting is not helpful during the act of creating. It's better to be focused on the feeling of the thing, the arrangement of shapes, the colors of pigment... the elements."

- Mickayel Thurin

Mickayel Thurin - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

Popcorn Man (Detail), 24" x 12", Mixed Media On Canvas

My portraits capture my immediate family, close friends or myself as the subject... all of whom have been painted many times over, as I prefer to paint those I know well. Part of this is because after you know someone well and they know you, you lose some of the niceties. You are both your more authentic selves and that is when you can really get down to business.

 

Preoccupation with the sitter's perception of your painting is not helpful during the act of creating. It's better to be focused on the feeling of the thing, the arrangement of shapes, the colors of pigment... the elements. These paintings are my attempt at doing just that. If they end up capturing some of the sitter's essence or personality, it is because of our familiarity and closeness rather than an effort at flattery. In short, these portraits are about the creation process of each painting, not about the models.

 

This body of work consists mainly of acrylic paint on canvas. However, if a painting calls for it, I do not hesitate to utilize collage, watercolor, ink or other mixed media.

Mickayel Thurin - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

No Pepperoni (Detail), 12" x 9", Mixed Media On Canvas

Mickayel Thurin is a Haitian American artist born in 1987 in Newport News, VA. Her family moved frequently so she grew up in NY, VA and MI. She eventually landed in Philadelphia, PA to attend the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) where she studied painting.

 

Thurin’s chief influences have consistently been expressive color, pattern and texture. She is interested in artists such as: Soutine, Bonnard, Alice Neel, Willem de Kooning, Mitzi Melnicoff, Lissy Funk and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The majority of her works tend to be colorful, expressive, abstracted portraiture done with mixed media. They often contain embroidery and collage.

 

At PAFA, Thurin studied under the likes of Jan Batzell, Bill Scott, Michael Gallagher and others. She also met her now-husband and fellow painter, Benjamin Passione, who also exhibits at Gross McCleaf. The two reside in Philadelphia where they share an art studio and their son, Maurice, who is often featured in Thurin’s paintings.

 

Mickayel Thurin - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

SP 2020, 20" x 16", Acrylic On Canvas

Mickayel Thurin - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

A.L. With Sweater (Detail)

12.5" x 8.5"

Mixed Media On Canvas

Video

Mickayel Thurin, Self-Portrait Video, 4 minutes

work in progress acrylic painting over the course of 3 sittings