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Selected Works

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Another Mind  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

Another Mind

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

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Anxiety  15" x 10"  Fabric, Yarn And Thread

Anxiety

15" x 10"

Fabric, Yarn And Thread

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Authenticity  15" x 8"  Mixed Media On Panel

Authenticity

15" x 8"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

 
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Be Kind To Yourself  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

Be Kind To Yourself

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

 
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Be Love  11" x 8"  Mixed Media

Be Love

11" x 8"

Mixed Media

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Beautiful Child  20" x 16"  Mixed Media

Beautiful Child

20" x 16"

Mixed Media

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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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Child-Self  10" x 8"  Mixed Media

Child-Self

10" x 8"

Mixed Media

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Diaspora  30" x 14"  Mixed Media On Panel

Diaspora

30" x 14"

Mixed Media On Panel

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Distilling  12" x 11"  Mixed Media

Distilling

12" x 11"

Mixed Media

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Do You  24" x 14"  Mixed Media

Do You

24" x 14"

Mixed Media

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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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I Am Enough  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

I Am Enough

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

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I Matter, I Am  10" x 8"  Mixed Media

I Matter, I Am

10" x 8"

Mixed Media

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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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Past, Present, Future  45" x 30"  Mixed Media

Past, Present, Future

45" x 30"

Mixed Media

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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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Risk Being Amazing  25" x 11"  Mixed Media

Risk Being Amazing

25" x 11"

Mixed Media

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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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Shadow Self  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

Shadow Self

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

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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 Cycle Breaker  46" x 31"  Mixed Media

The Cycle Breaker

46" x 31"

Mixed Media

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The Grouch  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

The Grouch

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

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The Myth  24" x 18"  Mixed Media

The Myth

24" x 18"

Mixed Media 

 
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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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Universal Love  40" x 30"  Mixed Media

Universal Love

40" x 30"

Mixed Media

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Wake Up!  30" x 51"  Mixed Media

Wake Up!

30" x 51"

Mixed Media

Shop

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You Are Enough  10" x 8"  Mixed Media

You Are Enough

10" x 8"

Mixed Media

Inquire
Another Mind  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

Another Mind

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

Anxiety  15" x 10"  Fabric, Yarn And Thread

Anxiety

15" x 10"

Fabric, Yarn And Thread

Shop

Authenticity  15" x 8"  Mixed Media On Panel

Authenticity

15" x 8"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

 
Be Kind To Yourself  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

Be Kind To Yourself

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

 
Be Love  11" x 8"  Mixed Media

Be Love

11" x 8"

Mixed Media

Beautiful Child  20" x 16"  Mixed Media

Beautiful Child

20" x 16"

Mixed Media

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

Ben With A Knit Cap

15" x 6.75"

Acrylic On Canvas

Shop

Child-Self  10" x 8"  Mixed Media

Child-Self

10" x 8"

Mixed Media

Diaspora  30" x 14"  Mixed Media On Panel

Diaspora

30" x 14"

Mixed Media On Panel

Shop

Distilling  12" x 11"  Mixed Media

Distilling

12" x 11"

Mixed Media

Do You  24" x 14"  Mixed Media

Do You

24" x 14"

Mixed Media

Filling The Gratitude Cup  43.5" x 29"  Mixed Media

Filling The Gratitude Cup (SOLD)

43.5" x 29"

Mixed Media

I Am Enough  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

I Am Enough

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

I Matter, I Am  10" x 8"  Mixed Media

I Matter, I Am

10" x 8"

Mixed Media

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

Main Character Energy

20" x 16"

Mixed Media On Stretched Canvas

 

Past, Present, Future  45" x 30"  Mixed Media

Past, Present, Future

45" x 30"

Mixed Media

Prints Black  20.5" x 12"  Mixed Media On Panel

Prints Black

20.5" x 12"

Mixed Media On Panel

Shop

Risk Being Amazing  25" x 11"  Mixed Media

Risk Being Amazing

25" x 11"

Mixed Media

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

Shop

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

Self Portrait With Re9al Shirt

24" x 16"

Acrylic On Canvas

Shop

Shadow Self  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

Shadow Self

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

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

Tameeka, PEC Shelter Resident

24.5" x 14"

Acrylic On Canvas

 

The Cycle Breaker  46" x 31"  Mixed Media

The Cycle Breaker

46" x 31"

Mixed Media

The Grouch  16" x 12"  Mixed Media

The Grouch

16" x 12"

Mixed Media

The Myth  24" x 18"  Mixed Media

The Myth

24" x 18"

Mixed Media 

 
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

Shop

The Perils  18" x 9"  Mixed Media On Panel

The Perils

18" x 9"

Mixed Media On Panel

 

The Veil  16.5" x 12"  Mixed Media On Panel

The Veil (SOLD)

16.5" x 12"

Mixed Media On Panel

Universal Love  40" x 30"  Mixed Media

Universal Love

40" x 30"

Mixed Media

Wake Up!  30" x 51"  Mixed Media

Wake Up!

30" x 51"

Mixed Media

Shop

You Are Enough  10" x 8"  Mixed Media

You Are Enough

10" x 8"

Mixed Media

"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