Bio

Aiden McMichael (b. 1999, Austin, Texas) is a multidisciplinary artist based in San Antonio. Working primarily in oil painting, digital design, and mixed media works on paper, McMichael is best known for his large abstract expressionist paintings that merge gestural intensity with meditative restraint. His practice is rooted in the traditions of Abstract and Neo-Expressionism, with a contemporary focus on process, materiality, and introspection.

McMichael’s work explores themes of dreams, the unconscious, and the search for stillness through an evolving visual language. His compositions often reflect a philosophy of addition through subtraction—where the act of erasure becomes a form of creation. Characterized by dense mark-making, atmospheric layering, and a contemplative use of space, McMichael’s paintings are meditations in both form and absence. His notable series The Trinity Paintings emerged from a recurring dream and marks a significant return to form, emphasizing clarity, repetition, and internal quiet.

Aiden McMichael has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions across Texas and continues to develop his practice through studio research and residencies. His work has been included in private collections and recognized for its emotional depth and formal rigor.

Education

2023 Ty Nathan Clark Fellowship

2022 Coppini Academy of Fine Arts, Oil painting workshop

2021 Mark Carter Fellowship

2018 Savannah College of Art and Design

2017 Teen Intensive Art Program at SouthWest School of Art