Newcomer reports in!
 

Dear Allan,

You're quite right....we might as well jump in. Well, here it goes: Wet behind the ears Mikael Melbye would like to say hello to all of you. What an exciting forum!

As Allan, I'm Danish and tied to the wonderful world of portraiture. A long career in opera as a baritone has been my main outlet for the past 30 years (I'm fifty), and only in the past 12 years have I taken up the vocation of my anscesters as more than a wonderful hobby. I have now retired from singing, and concentrating on directing and designing opera and ballet....and of course painting. As I have told Allan in a private e-mail, I'm happy to find fellow painters equally interested in figurative arts, which, I'm sorry to say, is really rather pourly looked upon here in otherwise beatyful and liberal Denmark. Those of you who would like to see my work are more then welcome on my web-site which was opened recently. www.mikael-melbye.com

I hope for comments (also the harsh ones) so I can improve it if I can.
I couldn't manage to put my web-link on my profile...maybe somebody can help me how to do that.

I look forward hearing from you all and wish you all the best.

P.S. I try to attach a photo of myself in my studio, please forgive if it doesn't work, I'm not too brilliant at this.

God Bless

Mikael

Dear Mikael,

A famous Danish opera singer wants advise, I will see what I can do about it. :sunnysmil

Welcome to the forum.

What a studio. Looking forward to your other posts.

Allan

Good to hear from you!
 

Dear Allan,
What a pleasure to "meet" you. I guess, for the sake of our fellow, non- Danish artists who do not speak out strange tongue, we better stay in English :sunnysmil ! I do look forward to take active part in this forum...what a great bunch of people! Hope others will join in and give some input.

I must say that I have really enjoyed the willingness to share knowledge here. There is so much to learn for all of us, and who better to give the advise then fellow painters. And so many good ones too!!

I'll try and post a portrait that I was commissioned to do for The Santa Fe Opera a couple of years back, so you can see what my work looks like. It's John O. Crosby the founder of the festival. The painting is the property of the festival and hanging in their boardroom.

All the best

Mikael

Dear Mikael,

Welcome to this site. I hope you'd become active and share your magnificent talent to us. I visited your site but just couldn't understand your native language, both you and Allan.hahaha.

Anyway, I liked your works and style. You are not just an amazing fine artist but also an opera singer. No wonder you're a great fine artist, singing while painting. Well, it compliments. hehe.


God bless you,
Xander

P.S.- I sent you a private message. Maybe you can check it out later.

Dear Mikael,
I went to your web site. It was strange to see people that I knew, and have met ,appear through this American forum. And to discover that you have studied with Richard Schmid, the first thing that struck me when I saw your self portrait.

I believe that you know something and hope that you will share it with us.

The good thing about sharing is that you get more than you give.You know what you know and everything you get is extra.

Have fun, Allan

Dear Allan
 

Glad you liked the site. It will of course have an English version eventually, and hopefully some more photos of paintings.

Mt friend and I are running around packing the car to go to Rome for five weeks. (Life is so hard sometimes!!We got one of the apartment and a studio in the Danish Academy. So there are no excuses!


Richard Schmid and I met some years ago in New York during the large symposium of the Portrait Artist Society at The Metropolitan Museum and stroke up a wonderful friendship both with him and Nancy. He's a superb painter and teacher, and I've learned a great deal from him over the years.

I'll take the computer with me, so we can still communicate. Incidental, do you know how to put a link to my website in my profile? I can't seem to get that right.

Best wishes

Mikael

Dear Mikael,

Yes I like your pictures very much, there is so much energy in your strokes and the way that you dispose the canvas. One can almost tell that you are comfortable with the area of a stage /scene.
I saw some of Schmid

Welcome Mikael,

Try this -- Click on your name above your avatar and then select "view public profile." In the top left of this page click "your controls," you should then see listed on the left "edit signature." Click this option and then type your name and web link in the large box. Such as:

Mikael Melbye
www.mikael-melbye.com

I hope that does it.

Dear Mikael,

It will be great having you participate in the Forum! I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work.

Dear Mike,
Thanks for the tip. But it still doesn't show up in the members list orientation. (the globe). Is that something that you can correct yourself?

Best wishes, Mikael

Dear Chris,

I certainly look forward to take part in all the interesting topics here. And thank you so much for the warm welcome.

Best wishes, Mikael

Dear Allan,

Life is great in Rome...just finished a nice long format painting on some gorgeous pines in front of the institute. And I'm of with my friend to the restaurant Al Grand Sasso in vie di Ripetta which is our favorite. I'll drink a couple of glasses of wine in your honor.

Best wishes, Mikael

Dear Mikael,

I just decided to ask "how is Rome". At home, here in Denmark it

Dear Allan,

Yes, I spoke to my parents this morning, and they had to put the heating on again! Yikes!!

I hope that I get my own e_mail system running tomorrow and will certainly send some warming photos for you I promise.

One question: what is the difference of an approved member and a juried one? Or is that just a silly question? I'm just curious, that's all.

Best, Mikael

Dear Mikael,

I am approved, that

Dear Mikael,

Welcome to the forum. We always benefit when another accomplished artist joins our ranks. And I am extremely envious of your beautiful studio. What a great space to work in. Enjoy!

Welcome Mikael,

You seem to be as nice as Allan, you'll have a very good time here.

What a nice studio. By the way, I'm a deep bass singer. My favorite character is Leporello.

Dear Richard and Claudemir,
 

Thanks for the warm welcome, it's good to talk to other slaves of the canvas, and exchange views and ideas.

The Studio is a old dream come true. My friend and I bought an old country estate from 1787 just over a year ago, and the poor cheep had to make do with a simpler shed in the field, so that I could fulfill my dream of a true north light studio. It's 900sq-ft and has views to the south over our little creek that runs through our land. (I feel a painting coming on!!)

As I told Allan, I'm in Rome at the moment painting like a mad man...I guess there is absolutely no excuse not when you are here. I'll show you what came out of it later.

All the best for now.

Mikael

Dear Claudemir,
 

Well...a fellow singer...what do you know. I sang Don Giovanni many times all over the place. Great opera, and super part.

Best

Mikael

Good to Meet You Mikael,

Welcome to the forum. Your website is beautiful, as is your studio. I am looking forward to your posts, especially while you are in Rome.

To anwer your earlier questions, there is no difference between an approved member and a juried member. Earlier on, SOG called us approved and now we are called juried (or vice versa ).

Mikael, I am looking forward to see your work too.

I am from Rome, and at this time of the year I just start wondering what am I doing here in this damp island!

Have a proper cappuccino for me, please.(if you want to be spoiled just walk a little longer from via di Ripetta, to Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina and have 'un caffe' speciale' at the little bar on the church side, I think it's called Mangia e bevi or something)

Buona pittura,
Ilaria

Dear Patricia,
 

Good to hear from you. I will certainly try and put something on the site when I get it photographed. It's just wonderful here, and we enjoy it as fully as we always do.

Today, after having started a new painting, we went to the Capitol Museums to see the fantastic sculptures of the past. and the beautiful baroque church next to it. Then we biked out past the pyramid to a subdivision of that same museum that is in an old power station. Quite mind boggling to see these fine old sculptures next to the old turbines!

Our kidneys are hanging out of our ears though...the roman roads are not suited for bikes I guess. That is Danes for you...we always bring our bikes everywhere.

Tomorrow I will spend the day in the Borghese park painting if it isn't to windy. Wish me luck.
Best, Mikael

Dear Ilaria,

We shall certainly go and have a "special" coffee in your honor. I know the sqare well since we almost always eat in "Al Gran Sasso" in Via di Ripetta. Super family restaurant with wonderful food and very friendly people.

Well, even though your Island is sometimes damp, I do like it very much. There are some wonderful places all over. And some very nice museums for portraits.....don't you agree?

Best, Mikael

Velkommen Mikael,

I see we are going to have our own little Danish quarter here.

I do wish I had more time to listen to Opera, Mozart's being my favorites. My roomate in art school, who's father was in the St. Louis Symphony insisted I learn the alto part of a chorus from Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers", "Oui c'est elle, c'est la deesse" , so we could sing it together. Not being very musical it took her and I foreverver, and I still can 'sing' it today.

Your work is very beautiful and accomplished and I am sure most of us are seething with envy over your studio.

Dear Sharon,
Thanks for the welcome, I'm happy to be here. Keep up the singing, it healthy! I've sung the duet you mention millions of times in concert, it's a hit with the audience.

I'm glad you like my work, and the studio that I'm so proud of. It does make life easier to have the right conditions. And I'm told by my family that I'm very hard to get out of there!!!

Best wishes, Mikael

That is one gorgeous studio :cool:
Welcome Mikael!

Dear Terri,
Thank you so much, I am very happy there. The view from the other side, which unfortunately I don,t have any photos of, is our valley with the creek going through it. Quite the painting.

Best wishes,

Mikael

Awesome Studio. Gorgeous work, thanks for joining us Mikael! Welcome.

Mary

Mikael,

Your work is wonderful and fascinating. I just joined the forum myself, and I hope to see more of your work soon!

Alex Tyng

Welcome to the Forum!
 

Dear Mikael,

I want to extend a very warm welcome to such a multi-talented person.

I love the photos of your studio and greatly admire your painting of John O. Crosby of the Sante Fe Opera Festival. Also I really enjoy losing myself in the "Nocturne" painting that you are creating in Rome. It has a romantic, ethereal quality that is quite alluring and mysterious.

Thank you for sharing the work process of your travels in Rome.

Warm regards,

Edgar

Dear Alexandra,
 

Thanks so much for the kind words. I hope to meet you and your work too. My web site is now also in English, so it will be a little more informative for the american friends.

Best,

Mikael

Dear Edgar,
 

Thanks so much for the welcome. I'm overwhelmed by the responds from all you great guys. It's like coming home in a sense. The community of realist- or portrait painters in Denmark is so small that you can count them on a hand or two, and we all seem to fighting for the same jobs. And there are not many of them out there. But I have hopes for Denmark...They seem to be coming around concerning the realist genre. More and more are interested and actually buying!

I'm glad you like JOC's portrait. He was a very special man with a most incredible vision. He build his own opera house in the middle of the dessert! And made it one of the most fruitful artistic venues in American Culture. I've sung there fifteen summers and come to love this rugged and interesting country. The light is incredible there and I always painted when ever I had the time for it. John was very shy and at the same time a very powerful man, and I hope this is what comes through his portrait. The piano taking up so much space in the painting is of course the overpowering urge to make music that dominated his life. The score is a Strauss opera which was his favorite composer.

By the way: My web site is now also in English for my American Friends!!

All the best to you and greetings from beautiful Rome

Mikael

It's great to have you on the Forum, Mikael. Such a diverse career, knighted for your work as an Opera singer, performing at New York's Metropolitan Opera! My goodness! We are honored.

I have a new friend who is encouraging me to go see the Seattle Opera and apparently they have a good reputation. May be this will open up a new appreciation in me for an art form I haven't experienced before.

I do hope you post some of your paintings from your trip to Rome when you get back, either in this thread or on your site. I look forward to seeing them.

Dear Michelle,
 

Do go and see the opera!! there are no guarantees, but chances are, since you're a wonderful painter (I have seen your work) you will love the opera.

Seattle is a good company, but don't start with Wagner or Strauss or any of the heavy guys. A Boheme or a Magic Flute is excellent first time experiences.

I did post something from Rome, but now I can't find it. Allan R. actually told me where to look, but I must be doing something wrong. Well eventually I'll get there.

All the best

Mikael

I found your Rome work: it's here: http://forum.portraitartist.com/show...&page=14&pp=10

Thanks for your suggestions about the Opera. Now to find someone who'll go with me -- my husband's more of a baseball fan than a fan of the arts!

Mikael, my apologies - when I moved your Rome landscapes, you should have received an autromatic notice. Please let me know if that didn't happen as perhaps there is a software glitch (technical term).

Dear Michele,

I completely agree with Mikael, when I first took my wife to the Opera we went to see Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" that's another good suggestion. Another good idea is to read about the Opera before the show to know what it is about, knowing the story will help you appreciate it even more.

I have been smiling about this visual image for the last half hour or so.

Your work is beautiful and I'm delighted you've joined this Forum, Welcome, Mikael!

Dear Michele,
 

You can tell your husband that one doesn't exclude the other. In Santa Fe, we always played base ball in between the rehearsals (even though we were not supposed to). Maybe he should try a little opera between the games!

It's true that The Barber of Seville is a good starter. I sung it 168 times, so I should know I guess.

Happy opera!

Mikael

Dear Linda,
 

Thank you so much, and I'm happy to inform you that our kidneys have reclined into their sockets.

Best,

Mikael