November 2019

2. Dreamscaper

Painting our city’s soul.

By Colin W. Sargent

If you’re looking for the essential Portland artist, one who walks the walk like the artists in La Bohème,
Michael Waterman is that guy. He’s an urban legend. He paints this city like it’s his personal mythology. When Natalie Merchant, the Grammy-winning singer/composer (“Carnival,” “Wonder,” and lead singer for 10,000 Maniacs) was rehearsing in Maine, she fell in love with his work. She snapped up his Woman With a Fish for $2,400 from the legendary Aucocisco Gallery. Then another. She, like all of us, was hooked. She wanted to meet Michael Waterman. Yeah, right. Waterman said no to the meeting. Why give up valuable painting time? He’s a painter, not a public relations dude. Just try and get an audience. Well, okay.

Where is your studio right now?
I paint in my apartment on the third floor of Forest Avenue and Congress Street. It’s [barely] across the street from where I used to paint at the top of the Schwartz Building.

What can you see from your windows?
I see the Portland Museum of Art facade and some rooftops.

Has this new view worked its way into one of your paintings?
No. Not yet.

Does Natalie Merchant still keep up with you?
I don’t know, but my gallery director Tom O’Donovan says she’s bought a few more things.

So she’s still keeping up with you!
Tom and I have an agreement. He doesn’t have to tell me what’s going on at the gallery, and I don’t have to tell him what I’m doing in the studio.

What are you doing in your studio?
I’m painting 90 percent terrible and 10 percent acceptable.

Tell me about the terrible.
The terrible look great in my head. But they don’t make it to my hand.

How old are you? I’m 65.
I’m 32.