Featuring the works of Michael Meissner of Glendive, Montana.                      Michael attended the University of Montana in Missoula, majoring in Fine Art. He considers himself largely self-taught and has been an active artist since childhood. His mediums have included pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, oil and acrylics on canvas and mixed media articles. His subjects have included western, wildlife and often surrealistic themes. In more recent years he has also taken to developing graphical arts and logo designs using hand-developed and computer generated artwork, including web graphics and website design.           Michael later completed his BS/MS degrees in Naturology, the study of Natural Health and Healing, and achieved a certification as a Master Herbalist and Naturopath. He is also trained in the Japanese healing art known as "Reiki" and today offers services providing Reiki treatments and herbal counseling. Visit the website "Reiki Montana" for more information.            Today he develops western, Native American, wildlife and surrealistic scenes and images in acrylic and oil on various surfaces, including canvas, canvas board, tanned animal hides, saw blades, old barn wood and even fiberglass models prepared for public display. Tanned hide paintings have included wildlife and Native American subjects on rabbit, buffalo, moose, deer, elk, caribou and mountain goat hide, all fashioned as wallhangings on antler (deer or elk), or on driftwood frames made from wood found along the many tributaries of the Yellowstone River.            He has participated in several community art projects in the development of artistically embellished fiberglass models that have been placed on public display and auctioned to benefit community efforts. These have included the 2006 "Hooked on Paddlefish" project in Glendive, Montana, and the 2007 and 2008 "Buffalo Roam" art project in West Yellowstone, Montana.            Michael displays much of his work in the Made in Montana Gift Store (Glendive), Madison Crossing Gallery (West Yellowstone), Carbon County Arts Guild (Red Lodge), Whooping Crones Gallery (Missoula) and the Dacotah Territories Gallery located in Medora, North Dakota.

All images Copyright 2001-2007 "Forest Majesty" Handpainted acrylic on tanned elkhide, fashioned as wallhanging with driftwood frame collected along the Yellowstone River. This is a large piece nearly five feet in length. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

 

"Great Spirit" Handpainted acrylic on caribou hide, fashioned as a wallhanging on deer antler. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

 

"Makoshika Moon" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20", framed, featuring the badlands of eastern Montana. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

 

Running Bear Creative Artwork -- Featuring Online Galleries of Michael's work

"Medicine Elk" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" with handmade barnwood frame. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

 

"Silent Stalker" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" with handmade barnwood frame. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"Mule Deer Buck Hilltop" Handpainted acrylic painting on old wood plank, cut around 1900 at a sawmill located in the Grovedale District of Mineral County, Montana. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"Wolf Ally" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" with handmade barnwood frame. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"Big Sky Montana" Handpainted acrylic painting on a six foot long (72") sawblade, uncovered at the site of an old sawmill in the Grovedale District of western Montana, an old homestead community of loggers and miners around 1910-1920. Handles handmade of oak. The landscape image depicts the diverse topography and wildlife of Montana from west to east. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"On The Town" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" (2007). Surrealistic theme that reflects the arrogance of ego in our society. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"Tribute to Walter" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" (2007). Surrealistic theme that contains elements of the various works of Montana artist Walter Hook (1919-1989). Walter was an admired art professor at the University of Montana in Missoula and often painted wildlife and surrealistic paintings with elements reminiscient of Montana and his boyhood home of Bonner. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"The Hunted" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 20" x 24" (2007). Surrealistic theme that invites the viewer to decide the roles of "hunter" and "prey". Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"Epiphany" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" (2008). Surrealistic theme. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.

"Path of Knowledge" Handpainted original acrylic painting on canvas, 16" x 20" (2008). Surrealistic theme. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image size with greater detail.