The Curator's Eye

Layered Equations | Michael Schultheis, painter

Selected by Brad Smith, Bellevue Arts Commission

Translucent Conics 04, 2009, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 72 inches

Curator's Statement

“For me, Michael’s paintings are like stone or beautiful architectural material. One of my favorite stones is Lagos Azul, which has a beautiful deep gray and deep blue color overall, but as you get up close you see veins — layers of sediment, fossils, shells, etc. Michael’s work has this same character of being open to appreciation on several levels. Also, I like the fact that his inspiration is somewhat atypical. He draws from math, physics equations, engineering. He’s bridging these two worlds, art and science, that most people would see as unrelated or even opposing. He’s exhibited at the Bellevue Arts Museum and has a wonderful painting in the ballroom at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency, and I’m sure there will be more opportunities for him to exhibit in future projects of ours.” —Brad Smith

Artist's Statement

“Nowadays, people want to be left or right brained — but I work in both. I treat each canvas like a   chalkboard, or like a dissertation. I do research and learn about a particular topic in math — I might focus on Apollonius, who revolutionized mathematics — and then I work through an equation that another mathematician has developed, showing my work, of course. Then instead of using chalk erasure, I use a rag dipped in paint to ‘rub out’ what I have worked on. The painting then develops layers upon layers of different ideas over the ideas of geometers and other mathematicians who worked before me.” —Michael Schultheis

"Artist Stats"

Hometown: Colton, Washington
Was, in a different life: A software developer for Microsoft
Started painting: While studying economics at Cornell University
Influences: People who are both scientists and artists, like Da Vinci or Michaelangelo
Also likes to: Play the cello
Upcoming project: A painting for the Howard Hughes Institute in Washington, DC, about “eccentricities” or the geometry of orbital motion
To see more: winstonwachter.com