Michael Gallagher, Switchback

switch•back n. 1. A road, trail, or railroad track that follows a zigzag course on a steep incline. 2. A sharp bend in a road or trail on a steep incline.

Michael Gallagher maintains an ongoing "conversation” in his work between representation and abstraction. He builds his painting from the background forward, using thin applications of translucent color and overlapping shapes. Sometimes he scratches into the surface to uncover underlying colors that react optically with overlaid pigments.

Gallagher received his MFA in 2002 from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he is now an instructor. He is an exhibiting artist at Schmidt-Dean Gallery.