Embracing the Crude: The Art of Michael RosenthalThe defining feature of Michael Rosenthal's work is his fearless approach to art-making, paired with an honest confession: he can't draw hands or arms. This admission, far from being a limitation, becomes a hallmark of his style. The figures in his paintings are rendered with a raw simplicity that speaks to his embrace of imperfections. By omitting or abstracting these elements, Rosenthal shifts the focus away from anatomy's minutiae and towards the emotive narrative. The absence of defined hands and arms doesn't detract from the impact; instead, it enhances the emotional resonance, drawing the viewer into a space where feeling and intuition matter more than anatomical accuracy. Rosenthal's confidence and the unique charm his admitted limitations bring to his work reinforce his art's authentic, unrefined nature. The artist prefers to refer to his work as unapologetically "crude." He dismisses the reference to the work as a childlike, naive outsider, reminding the view that his work has remained very "crude" for over the past thirty yearswww.mrosenthal.studioSouthern Illinois University, School of Design, 1965-1967Parsons School of Design, 1967-1969California Institute of the Arts, 1971-1972, MFA in DesignMentors and Influences:Studied with Nam Jun Paik, Victor Papanek, Peter Pierce, Ed Schlossberg, Stuart Brand, Allen Ginsberg, Alison Knowles, Dick Higgins, Craig Hodgetts, and Allan Kaprow