Michael Maitner is a self-taught artist born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and still resides and paints there today. Over the years, his landscapes have reflected many different artistic styles which include Realism, Impressionism and a style self-described as "whimsical". His style is influenced by a group of American artists known as the Regionalists of the 1930s, who sought to revive idealism in midwestern terms. Typical in Maitner's work are rolling hillsides, skewed houses and farm buildings, billowy cloud formations, foreboding shadows and picturesque lake shores. Many of his landscapes are based on Michigan land forms, while others are directly conjured from the imagination, allowing Maitner to create his ideal world on canvas. The delightful charming style of a Maitner painting is instantly recognizable. We like to refer to them as ‘Maitnerized’ landscapes.