Michael Mercier

Michael Mercier paints from the soul. His works draw on soulful memories of beautiful places and the imprint those experiences left upon him. Rooted in faith and a reverence for the natural world, each painting begins with a prayer and unfolds as an act of creative exploration.

As the founder of Mercier’s Gallery, Michael brings the perspective of a working artist to every aspect of the gallery. His lifelong passion for art began in childhood and grew through years of studying vibrant colors and the moods they create. What started as a love for painting sunsets over the ocean has evolved into a meditative practice where landscapes, mountains, and oceans emerge through layers of painting and color.

Educated at the University College of Santa Barbara, where he experimented with sculpting, charcoals, and oil painting, Michael returned to art after the birth of his first child gave him a renewed understanding of creation itself. His paintings invite viewers to imagine the earth in its earliest moments: landscapes forming, mountains shifting, oceans moving beneath the hand of the Creator.

Technique

“Art should be free and come from the soul without the limitation of expectations. Each painting is a representation of creation itself.”

Michael starts each painting with a prayer. He begins by moving color around the surface, and as he does, shapes start to appear that remind him of various elements of creation: the curve of a mountain forming, the rush of water, the reach of branches toward light. These emerging forms guide the painting forward.

Each work takes weeks and even months to complete. The process involves layers of painting with long breaks between moments of inspiration, allowing each layer to settle before the next arrives. This patient, meditative approach produces surfaces of remarkable depth, where earlier colors glow beneath subsequent layers. Inspired by the book of Genesis and the image of God’s Spirit moving over the waters, his paintings explore what the earth might have looked like in its earliest moments.

Painting As an Act of Creation

Michael’s work suits collectors drawn to paintings that carry genuine emotional and spiritual depth. These are works created through a contemplative process, each one a unique meditation on creation and natural beauty.

The vibrant colors and layered surfaces create striking focal points in any setting. His larger works command attention in living rooms and offices, while smaller pieces bring contemplative energy to intimate spaces. The layers of painting reward close viewing, revealing new details and depth with each encounter.

Michael prays that each work blesses its new owner. Many of his paintings include a recurring tree motif, representing Jesus as the Tree of Life, a personal symbol of the faith that guides his creative practice. Each work comes with a title reflecting its creative inspiration, and many are accompanied by a poem or verse that deepens the viewer’s connection to the piece.

Discover Mercier artworks

Michael Mercier: Paintings Born from the Soul, Inspired by the Beauty of Creation

Featured Works

Technique

Painting As an Act of Creation

Available to Buy

Mercier's Gallery of Fine Art Hawaii Art Gallery | Waikiki

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