written by
Scott Power

Impact Culture with Artist Michael Ornstein

Podcast 2 min read

Michael Ornstein appears on the Not Real Art Podcast today -- and we are excited to hear from a true Renaissance man and artist. Michael Ornstein has managed to build an amazing creative life and career through his natural passion and curiosity for expression.

Hear Michael tell us about how he tries to keep himself out of his painting, the lessons he learned in his first acting classes and the big role his parents had on his ideas around art and creativity.

We also discuss moving around the country, raising a family and why he prefers to visit LA for work and focus on one thing at a time.

For Michael, his array of talents and interests means that there is a rotating quality to where he puts his energy at any given time.

painted nautical sail by Michael Ornstein
Painted portion of a nautical sail by Michael Ornstein

Sometimes his painting is leading him, other times he is giving acting most of his energy and he would not have it any other way. For a great chat with a truly inspiring person in command of a bunch of different crafts, tune in today!

Totems by Michael Ornstein
Don Quijote painting by Michael Ornstein
Don Quijote by Michael Ornstein

Key Points From The Michael Ornstein Episode:

• Moving around and getting down to some good work out of the big cities.

• Appreciating road trips and some of the beautiful highways around the country.

• The art scene in Cleveland and its connection to other surrounding areas.

• Dangers around the intelligentsia telling young artists what they should be doing.

• Michael's early experiences of open studio art in New York City.

• A little bit about Michael's parents and his family history.

• Starting acting class and getting out on stage at 12 years old.

• Why Michael considers himself a painter before all else.

• The central role of movement in performance and acting roles.

• Serious schools and building from the basics and foundational skills.

• Simplicity, tools, artistic freedom and why Michael is so prolific!

• The human element, history and representing real life and emotion through art.

• Michael's hopes for teaching and educating in the future!

• Combatting the problems we face with creativity and inventiveness.

• The array of jobs that any artist needs to have in order to survive.

• The meaningful work and experience that Michael is having on the set of Mayans M.C.

• Allowing the different mediums of expression to lead at the appropriate times.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Michael Ornstein — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0650355/

Monkey Language — https://monkeylanguage.com/

Michael Ornstein on Twitter — https://twitter.com/swimdeep

Michael Ornstein on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/asknopermission/

Dave Chappelle — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0152638/

Ella Fitzgerald — https://www.biography.com/musician/ella-fitzgerald

Steppenwolf — https://www.steppenwolf.org

Rob Zombie — https://robzombie.com/

Patti Smith — http://www.pattismith.net

Jospeh Campbell — https://www.jcf.org/about-joseph-campbell/

Jack Kerouac — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jack-Kerouac

Rhinoceros — https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2007/oct/03/ionescosrhinocerosisasrele

Matt Dillon — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000369/

Sons of Anarchy — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124373/

Stagger Leehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCPutYaGFlE

Orbiting the Giant Hairball https://www.amazon.com/Orbiting-Giant-Hairball-Corporate-Surviving/dp/0670879835

Mayans M.C. — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/mayans_m_c_

Man One — http://www.manone.com/

Man One on Twitter — https://twitter.com/ManOneArt

Scott “Sourdough” Power — https://www.instagram.com/sourdoughpower/

Not Real Art Conference — https://www.notrealartconference.com/

Not Real Art on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/notrealartofficial/

michael ornstein the mayans