Artist Michael Heule takes his abstract work in delightful directions, using color and form in incredibly creative ways. Learn more on his website.
“Dawn of Time” layered acrylic, resin, gold foil and glitter on canvas with oak floating frame, 24″ x 24″
I’m a visual artist based in Kansas City, Missouri, working at the intersection of abstraction, material exploration, and dimensional form. My practice blends a range of media—acrylic, poured resin, wood, digital prints, and metal leaf—into layered compositions that often blur the line between painting and object.
“Shadows in Color – Four Square” shaped 1″ wood cubes with colored mica resin mounted on giclée print, suspended in shadow box frame, 8.6″ x 8.6″ limited edition of 20
I’m drawn to processes that reveal how materials interact, build depth, and change depending on light, angle, and time.
“Aquatic Gold” acrylic with metal foil and resin finish on canvas with floating oak frame, 10″ x 20″
I was born and raised in Minneapolis in a creative household. My father was a stained glass and commercial artist whose work appeared in churches across the Midwest and in national publications. His influence—both as a maker and someone deeply committed to visual craft—shaped my early understanding of artistic expression and continues to inform how I see the world.
“Urban Forest” oak profiles with flamed and resin accents, mounted on canvas panel with oak floating frame, 12″ x 12″
After serving in the U.S. Army’s Berlin Brigade, I earned a degree in architecture from Kansas State University. I went on to co-found Helix Architecture + Design in Kansas City, where I spent most of my career leading large-scale projects and design teams. That work required a strong command of space, detail, and visual composition—skills that naturally carry over into my art practice.
“Harmonious Tapestry – Rainbow” woven giclée prints suspended in shadow box frame, 9″ x 9″ limited edition of 20
Since shifting to a full-time studio practice, I’ve embraced the freedom to work outside the constraints of program, client, or function. My process often begins with sketching on rolls of trace paper—a familiar tool from my architecture days—and sometimes moves into digital platforms like SketchUp, AutoCAD Web, GIMP, or Inkscape. Some ideas stay conceptual; others head straight to the canvas, where I work intuitively with materials.
“Colored Blocks” giclée print on heavy fine art paper, suspended in shadow box frame, 8.6″ x 8.6″ limited edition of 20
I’m especially drawn to resin for its ability to amplify light, layer color, and create shifting depths. Many of my recent works involve poured resin over painted or printed surfaces, with embedded textures that encourage slow, close looking. I often work on multiple pieces at once, allowing time for reflection and reworking.
“Mirror Mirror…” transparent and pigmented resin on 30″ diameter mirror with metal edge
This slower, iterative rhythm is something I’ve come to value—letting the work unfold over time rather than rushing to resolution. Material relationships are central to my practice—how one surface responds to another, how layers obscure or reveal, how abstraction can suggest emotion or memory without representing anything directly.
“Golden Embers” layered acrylic and resin on canvas, 24″ x 18″
Though my background is rooted in design and problem-solving, my current work is more intuitive, experimental, and open-ended.
“Shadows in Color” wood cubes on giclée print, suspended in shadow box frame, 8.6″ x 8.6″ limited edition of 20
This is a new chapter in my creative life, but not a departure. It’s a continuation of the same questions that guided my work in architecture: how to shape experience through form, material, and composition—and how to tell stories without words.
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