About Michael Gaines

 Welcome to GainesGallery. I am Michael Gaines, an artist, living and painting in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles and the San Bernadino Mountains of Lake Arrowhead, California.

My family roots are in the Ozarks. My ancestors lived for generations in the southern foothills of the Ozark Mountains at the base of the Ozark National Forest. I lived there as a child and spent much of my formative years there. I also lived in the Southwest area of the Mississippi Delta.

I have been painting for over 50 years and my self-taught art is reflective of my many years of living. Trained as an attorney, I spent over a decade in Washington, D.C. with the U. S. Department of Justice and the judicial branch of government. I “retired” as an attorney a few years ago but have been painting full time ever since. In 2021, I relocated to Los Angeles, California, and have a studio in the Hollywood Hills West area of LA, just north of the Sunset Strip and bordering on the north with Laurel Canyon. I also have studios at my home in Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernadino Mountains and at the 100+ year old St. Joseph Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas. 

My recent works have focused on my surroundings - the mountain scenes in and around Lake Arrowhead, the Hollywood Hills, the Sunset Strip, and the endless SoCal locations I want to paint. I also paint works inspired by my Southern roots - the gorgeous Ozarks, rural scenes, Delta blues and the Delta-influenced rock and blues I grew up loving.

I paint primarily in acrylics, often employing small squares throughout. I also enjoy exploring new techniques and working with stains and collage. Exhibitions include a 2022-23 show at Galerie XII in Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, the Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, and the ArtPrize Festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I have paintings in personal and corporate collections from Washington, D.C. to Beijing.