Lon Michels Gallery

Lon Michels is the quintessential master of this time here in the desert. His use of color and space marvels at evolution of the miraculous works of art he creates. He is a master and a shaman and releases the gifts in other people whether it is through his very exclusive master classes or through gazing at his work as it transforms you. He was once blind and became a painter who felt his colorful emotions light up the canvas with vibrations that draw & heal onlookers. He is considered a shaman and one of the large paintings in his gallery is on the cover of the book of Shaman.
I have been honored to take his master classes and he has unleashed in me and his students the power to see and feel in a new dimension, that of an artist! His work is breathtaking and his gallery must be experienced as he is called the ‘Picasso of his Time’.
Daryn Hinton

It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon and my mother & I are strolling down the street in Palm Springs’ art district when she announces, «I’m going to get my portrait painted!»
*Insert immediate flash to those stuffy, military looking portraits of olden days and a 30 second silence where I attempted to come up with something more convincing then… «ohhh…wow!» I’m a horrible liar.
Thankfully, being flesh and blood, my mother knows this about me and immediately fills the silence with, «Oh shush, here i’ll show you.» 10 minutes later we’re in the Lon Michels gallery and i’m excitedly exclaiming, «I want my portrait done!»
It’s hard to explain why the work here is so rad. It’s like what I expect a really optimistic person’s acid trip would look like… it’s colourful, it’s cheerful and I’m both impressed and a little intimidated by how this man views the world. The Birth & Death piece they have currently hanging in their front room is one of the most stunning pieces i’ve seen in awhile and their painted taxidermy still haunts me with how much I want to own it.
His work is cool, unique and artsy without being pretentious.
The folks at the gallery are obviously sales people, but so damn charming that you quickly over look it. The feel of the place is casual and the custom work is cool as heck. This isn’t a place where you quietly walk around and peruse the work in silent (often confused in my case) contemplation. This is the kind of gallery where asking about the paintings breed some pretty fantastic stories — so do pipe up.
If you have the funds — it’s a great investment. If you don’t — it’s a great life goal. Either way, take a few minutes, pop in here and re-​educate yourself on what a «cool» portrait would look like.

If you’re looking for original art, this is the place. Michels’ painting is a life-​changing experience. Don’t expect pale desert scenes, the gallery is buzzing with color.

Lon Michels work is breathtaking, and the gallery is a must-​see. I spent a long time enjoying and taking in the paintings of Lon and his husband Todd Olson… also a great artist in his own right. I recommend setting aside an afternoon.
The walls are full of beautiful paintings, hung French Salon style. Each piece is a vibrant world unto itself, but the effect of the whole space, curated with care, is almost overwhelming in its beauty.
You will see the artists at work in the back studio space. They are friendly and meeting them, with their ebullience and energy, is definitely part of the charm.
Do not miss this one-​of-​a-​kind gallery. The work is world-​class, and like nothing you’ve ever seen before!

Tod Olson was warm and friendly. Professor Michels was working on a painting in the back of the gallery! We had the pleasure of meeting three of the artists on display here.