Portrait Society is pleased to present its first exhibition of work by Lon Michels and Todd Olson as well as the first exhibition where they have shown their work side-by-side.

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The couple resides in Lodi, Wisconsin with their dog Bazzy on a hilltop with grounds that they have cultivated to summon a Claude Monet state of mind. Lon Michels began painting as a child under the tutelage of his mother who was an artist. After many years in New York as Louise Nevelson’s studio assistant and a model for Calvin Klein, Michels found his way back to Wisconsin with his partner Todd Olson. He completed his MFA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2007. About nine years ago, Todd also began painting. Because Lon wanted him to have something to do while he was in the studio, the most logical solution was to teach Todd to paint.

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Todd’s work has subsequently flourished with a similar but distinctive style. Both compose paintings with detailed, vibrant patterns, which, they say, allude to the positive human and spiritual energy they seek in daily life, having both endured health crises and other challenges in their pasts. The art critic for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mary Louise Schumacher said, “Every face, every fold of fabric, every inch of space is brimming with textile like designs.”