Michael Abrams grew up in Rensselaer County in a home perched above the majestic greenery of the Hudson River Valley. He paid little attention to the majestic sunsets and scenic beauty of the area but the images of the sprawling fertile land has remained imprinted in Abrams’ mind. These views became deeply ingrained in his subconscious and profoundly influenced the way he sees the world.

Although nature forms the basis for his paintings they are a personalized vision in which he is revisiting landscape painting within the context of contemporary art. These idealized landscapes set the stage and give the perception of something otherworldly. They exist entirely in the mental space of nostalgic recall. The viewer is introduced to the picture plane as if they are hovering slightly above ground, adding to the detachment of reality.

There is a dissipation of substance into atmosphere. Emphasizing misty ambiance over earthly terrain. Only a hint of human presence exists, with a suggestion of roadways and distant fields.

And while the subject matter is a recognizable, natural world, these are studio paintings in which the process takes precedent over the tradition of mere documentation. The paintings are rendered with a layering of glazes from semitransparent to opaque creating an atmospheric and luminous quality. The glazes are built up over time, taking the image from an initial stage influenced by images of nature derived from various travels to an idealized form of personal invention.