Brushstrokes & Battles

Contemporary Art Blog

Notes on the work, materials, process, artist rights, and the life that finds its way into all of it.

Contemporary office wall art: three large Michel Keck abstract paintings in turquoise, orange, purple, and red line a law firm hallway beneath recessed lighting.

Art Buying Guides

Practical advice on scale, color, originals, prints, and sourcing contemporary art for homes and design projects.

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Original abstract art for collectors: a Michel Keck painting with muted blue and gray layers, rust and dark brown organic forms, vertical drips, and fine grid-like marks.

Creation Series: Intuitive Abstract Art Paintings

How water, air, gravity, pigment and instinct became one of Michel Keck’s most enduring bodies of work.

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Abstract artwork by Michel Keck featuring a textured composition with large white and dark blue circular shapes surrounded by layered scribbles and marks in vibrant colors like red, yellow, pink, and turquoise on a muted, smoky background.

Abstract Art for a Living Room: A Practical Guide

How to choose a piece with enough scale, feeling and staying power to make a living room feel finished.

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A collection of ten found object cross art assemblages by Michel Keck mounted on a white gallery wall, featuring weathered wood, metal parts, clocks, and various textured materials arranged in vertical and horizontal cross shapes.

Abstract Cross Art: A Collector’s Guide

How to choose cross art with feeling, material presence and a place in the rooms where you actually live.

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The back of our SUV packed with reclaimed wood, rusty metal and junk collected for art

October 8, 2026

Treasure Hunting: Turning Discarded Objects Into Art

From auction junk lots to one-of-a-kind assemblages and animal sculptures: how I reuse rusty metal, weathered wood, and discarded objects.

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Mixed-media collage by Michel Keck featuring layered weathered wood, rusted perforated metal sheets, torn fabric with plaid and floral patterns, and textured paper in muted earth tones arranged in a rectangular composition.

April 24, 2019

BRICOLAGE – COLLAGE – ASSEMBLAGE OF MICHEL KECK

Bricolage is the act of creating with what is immediately available,working intuitively with materials at hand rather than relying on traditional or prescribed art supplies. For me,…

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Side-by-side collage artworks of a dog's face against a yellow lined background, the left by Michel Keck with vibrant geometric patterns and detailed textures, the right a similar derivative with different patchwork colors and eyes.

January 2, 2023

Case number 4:21-cv-0430 Setting The Record Straight

UPDATED: I started this original blog post as a direct response to the public press release disseminated by the law firm Greenberg Traurig concerning the federal civil action styled…

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Sold Bow and Arrow Heart found-object wall assemblage

June 2, 2023

Heart Assemblages: Heart Art Made From Discarded & Found Objects

I create heart assemblages from recycled items and found objects that I repurpose and reimagine into one of a kind heart art. My one of a kind heart art assemblages are created to be…

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Glass window display featuring five colorful dog art collages by Michel Keck, each with vibrant patterns and bold shapes, set against a modern interior with reflective surfaces and two small real dogs sitting inside.

July 5, 2021

Michel Keck Collage Art Exhibit Hong Kong - Harbour North

Finally an art exhibit for the DOGS!! ( and their hoomans too of course ) So.. I believe this may be the first dog art exhibit ever that is for DOGS (and their hoomans) that is made…

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Person wearing a long-sleeve shirt featuring an abstract cross design in dark and rusty tones with blue and beige accents, accompanied by handwritten text on a textured background, photographed from waist to neck.

March 14, 2025

Why the Scope of Infringement Matters in IP Theft

[[IMAGE:when-others-profit-from-your-labor-the-injustice-of-ignoring-an-artist-s-right-to-protection-image-1]] If you come across any of my cross paintings or scripture-based artwork…

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