August 30, 2021

Kiechel features Burton's Nebraska-inspired artworks

Michael Burton's "July 10th" painting of a farm house as viewed from a soybean field.
Michael Burton | Education and Human Sciences

Michael Burton | Education and Human Sciences
"July 10th," a digital painting by Michael Burton, is featured in the exhibitions showing at Lincoln's Kiechel Fine Arts gallery.

The digital art of Nebraska’s Michael Burton is featured in “Floor of the Sky” and “Dance Floor of the Sky,” two exhibitions open through Oct. 15 at Kiechel Fine Arts, 1208 O St.

The exhibitions feature Burton’s digital artwork and non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. An NFT is, at the most basic level, a collectible digital asset which has value as a form of cryptocurrency and as a form or art or culture.

Studio photo of Michael Burton
Burton

“Dance Floor of the Sky,” which is showing on the third floor of the gallery, includes a compilation of 10 animations and projected NFTs available for purchase. The “Floor of the Sky” exhibition explores Burton’s paintings of Nebraska landscapes. In his works, the ground of the Cornhusker State serves as the “Floor of the Sky.”

“The amazing weather and beautiful skies are important, but the ground, the ‘Floor of the Sky’ is where things get interesting,” Burton said. “Each painting is digitally created based on my observations across the state.”

To create the works, Burton used Pro Create on an iPad with brushes he made specifically for objects like grass, cornstalks, dirt, bugs, old clapboard and milkweed.

Burton is an assistant professor in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. He is also director of the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery.

Learn more about the exhibitions at kiechelart.com or call 402-440-9553.