Neon WestMichael Blessing spent his formative years in rural Montana, surrounded by the land, the people, and the experiences that small town America provided. Early in his childhood, Michael was drawn to the glow of neon light, but didn't have any idea just how important his fascination with luminous color would become.The concept for Michael Blessing’s “Neon West” series evolved from combining his love of the figure with the nostalgic pull of vintage neon signs. Initially drawn to figurative painting, in 2014 Michael began seeking out historical subject matter and vintage neon signs, especially those that were no longer in existence.While contemplating new subject matter one summer afternoon, he was struck with the idea to combine neon with his beloved figures. The end result is a series of larger than life historical characters rendered in a contemporary style. Michael is currently blazing new trails by melding the vibrant color and contrastive light of the newest LED neon technology with historic western characters and iconic western figures.As a rule, Michael Blessing is drawn to strong compositions, vibrant color, and bold lines. His figurative work and paintings of vintage Western nostalgia are widely appealing, often reminiscent of classic Americana, and have an edgy quality that is both contemporary and timeless. Michael’s work has been featured in various publications, including Art of the West, Western Art & Architecture, Big Sky Journal, Southwest Art, and Western Art Collector. His paintings have won Awards of Excellence from both Western Art Collector and Southwest Art Magazines, the FASO Boldbrush Award, and several International Gallery Awards.