An abstract three-dimensional painting made with acrylic and paper on canvas. A large vermillion form sits on a vibrant blue-violet background. A smaller turquoise form nestles underneath the vermillion form.

Poster for an art exhibition THAW APRIL 18th - MAY 30th Creative Flow Art Center 110 77th Way NE, Fridley, Mn creativeflowartcenter.org

I’m going to be in the upcoming show “THAW” at Creative Flow Art Center in Fridley, MN alongside my friend @mp-illo.bsky.social! The show runs from April 18th to May 30th!

And here’s more about the painting:

A piece informed by the snow, the thaws, and fool’s springs of March.
May the sun and warmth return to melt it away again soon and let the earth continue waking from its chilly slumber.

Image protected by ArtShield.io

“susurros de primavera” 2026
acrylic, gouache, paint markers, colored pencil

Finished this piece recently and it has been accepted into the THAW exhibit running 4/18 - 5/30/26 at the Creative Flow Art Center
@paulfosaaen.bsky.social is also in the show :)

More info about the show in the 2nd image!

An abstract painting made with acrylic and paper on canvas. A large vermillion form occupies the center and top of the composition. A smaller turquoise form nestles underneath the vermillion form. Smaller branch-like appendages in brown and grey trail off from the vermillion and turquoise forms.

A detail of Aposematic Form from the top right.

A detail of Aposematic Form from the bottom left.

“Aposematic Form”
Acrylic and paper on canvas
6 x 12”
3/12/26

Started a new painting today that I want to complete for an exhibition deadline coming up soon.

I think I can make it happen!
Next traditional piece I post will be this one I’m alluding to.

“Kewpie Delivery” - 2026 (acrylic, gouache, paint marker, and graphite on canvas)

With a shared love of Kewpie mayo and Pikmin between my husband and I, I figured “por que los nos dos?” and have this silly art hang somewhere in our kitchen.

#mpILLO #Pikmin #Nintendo #Kewpie #illustration

They’re transporting a bottle of Kewpie mayo by the way ✨

Finished a little Pikmin painting last night.
I’ll be posting the full piece on my Instagram later today.
Here’s a snippet for now though!

(Image protected with ArtShield.io)

#pikmin #mpILLO #painting #illustration
#fanart

NOTE: only the 1st image in this thread (with the loon) will be printed in the 2nd edition of the coloring book.

All are available on my website in the meantime!

Coloring page featuring stalks of milkweed shooting up from the ground. Ending in a ball-like bloom of flowers, they tower over morel mushrooms and a small bird on the ground.

A coloring page of kids enjoying a day in nature. Each child is fascinated or enthralled by animal life: birdwatching, meeting the gaze of a frog on a lily pad, or excited from catching a beetle.

I felt like I got bit by a (benevolent) bug and had to rein it in so I can focus back on other projects on my creative docket.

I hope this can be helpful in some way and feel free to let me know if you print any out and color them in!

A coloring page featuring a loon character wearing a beanie frolicking through the Walker Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis, MN.

Screenshot of the artist’s website featuring 6 coloring pages to download.

I contributed to a free coloring book that’s going to kids and families sheltering in place from ICE here in the Twin Cities, MN.

After the 1st image, I made 5 more.
All 6 are now available to download on my website!

michael-illustrates.com/Coloring-Pag...

#AbolishICE #mpILLO #Minnesota

Saint Heron Saint Heron Community Library; a growing media center dedicated to students, practicing artists and designers, musicians and general literature enthusiasts.

Solange Knowles’ Saint Heron has launched a free digital archival library of literature by Black and brown authors, poets, and artists. Readers can borrow rare and out-of-print books for up to 45 days:

saintheron.com

Donate to Help Bring Joy to Kids Sheltering in the Twin Cities, organized by Sara Fowler I am a Minneapolis-based illustrator/book designer raising funds to p… Sara Fowler needs your support for Help Bring Joy to Kids Sheltering in the Twin Cities

The organizer still needs to raise about $1k to cover the printing cost for this run. Here is the donation link if you are able to help!
gofund.me/72e14a9f8

image of lots of coloring pages with the text "Spread joy to sheltering kids!"

Line drawing of a shrew giving flowers to a gopher. They are both wearing warm clothes and there are larger flowers behind them.

@mp-illo.bsky.social recently invited me to take part in this project for kids in the twin cities that are currently sheltering in place during the 🧊 occupation. These coloring books full of donated art will be distributed to social workers and schools to go to families in need.

Donate to Help Save Mercado Central from Closure, organized by Cooperativa Mercado Central Mercado Central, a cooperative founded by latino entrepeneurs with… Cooperativa Mercado Central needs your support for Help Save Mercado Central from Closure

Mercado Central says the cooperative is in danger of losing the building ☹️ gofund.me/cf76f8dcb

here's a rent fun in mpls you can donate to right now, from organizers i know and can personally vouch for!

emergency rent support for North MPLS: venmo.com/u/NorthMplsMA

I call them Lou, the loon ✨

#illustration #mpILLO

Do your inner thoughts have a voice you can hear? • It's okay if they do • It's okay if they don't

An image of a back alley at night with the accompanying text: A possum strolled through these bushes once. Didn't notice me. Or didn't care. Who's to say. * * * It was a thrill to watch you pass by in the night.

A digital illustration by visual artist Michael Perez. Three ducks in various colorations swim in a stylized body of water.

Some of my favorite moments from the first EELS volume, RELEASE. The last picture is from a comic by the talented @mp-illo.bsky.social

Title card for EELS: VOLUME II CURRENTS

Would you like to become an EEL? EELS: VOLUME 2 • Currents • seeks visual art, writing, and concepts inspired by the movement of currents, patterns in ripples, and reflections in water. The multifaceted element of water speaks volumes. What does it say to you? Where do you let the currents take you? What do you notice when you step back and observe the ripples of your actions? APPLICATION DEADLINE: 1/31/26 Artists will notified by 2/20/26 with submission decisions. For submission details, visit www.paulfosaaen.com/blog

Hey everyone, I have a call for art for my curated blog series EELS on my website! For more details, check out my website www.paulfosaaen.com/blog

#callforart

Illustration of a white wolf breathing smoke from out of it’s mouth as a meteor shower rains from the sky. The wolf’s body is covered in red cracks and creases.

The heat

Working on a piece I hope to complete this week 🤞🏼
#painting #illustration #mpILLO

This photo I took of Blake!
I loved seeing the joy they all had playing together. ☺️

May he offer a beet in these trying times.
🫜

Skinned beet held in someone’s hand. Deep reddish purple in color, the juices of the beet stain the person’s fingers.

Husband made borscht the other day and felt like being a lil food photographer
📸

With SNAP/EBT cuts looming I highly recommend downloading this app! Basically restaurants and other food businesses will have available bags of random food they don’t wanna waste for ppl to buy for hella cheap! This has saved me sooooo many times when I only have $5 and need some food.

Thank you! (also, turns out I’ll actually be finishing this idea train up next month 😌 - three cheers for external encouragement.)

A friend reminded me of an idea I was working on earlier this year.
Unsure if it might culminate or finalize when I have more time.

(I’m feeling very #wip lately.)

Looking at the traditional works I’ve done lately and I want to challenge myself to /not/ use green or primarily cool colors.

🤭

Another painting in progress. 👀🌳

I finished the piece I was working on earlier this month and I need to take proper documentation of the piece.

I gotta look through my photos and videos and reminisce now too!
So glad I was there with you @magnoliamaw.bsky.social and helping me get to the show ❤️