Mike Stillkey Turns Old Books Into Beautiful Paintings

By Dianna Dilworth 

thequietallureofexistence-1.LOArtist Mike Stilkey uses the covers of discarded books as the canvas for colorful paintings featuring the likes of animals dressed up in costumes or playing instruments.

Thisiscolossal.com visited his recent solo show at The Gilman Contemporary Gallery and posted a ton of photos of these amazing creations. In an interview series posted on  YouTube, Stilkey explains that he had no formal training but was drawn to painting through skateboard culture.

Here is more about the artist from his bio: “Using a mix of ink, colored pencil, paint and lacquer, Stilkey depicts a melancholic and at times a whimsical cast of characters inhabiting ambiguous spaces and narratives of fantasy and fairy tales. A lingering sense of loss and longing hints at emotional depth and draws the viewer into their introspective thrall with a mixture of capricious poetry, wit, and mystery.”