Michael Greenwald (b.1969)
Carova, 2013 and 2017
Materials: Oil on canvas, 72” x 72”
Location: Summa Health – Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Tower, Akron Campus
(141 N. Forge St.), ground floor, blue neighborhood, outside gift shop
Acquired for the Summa Health System – Akron Campus Wayfinding Project
About the Art
Carova captures the quiet beauty of a remote coastal landscape, reflecting artist Michael Greenwald’s deep connection to Carova, North Carolina, a secluded community at the northernmost tip of the Outer Banks. Accessible only by an 11-mile drive along the beach, Carova’s isolation and untamed scenery, including its famed wild horses, have provided Greenwald with enduring inspiration. This large-scale painting embodies the vastness of sky and sea, immersing viewers in a contemplative, atmospheric experience.
Greenwald’s approach to painting moves between full abstraction and highly abstracted landscapes, the latter of which we see in Carova. Here, a cool, subdued palette of deep ultramarine and violet-blue dominates the composition. The sky, stretching across the upper portion, reflects onto the water below, where long bands of stratocumulus clouds meet the horizon. A faint touch of golden light suggests the soft diffusion of sunlight, offering just a hint of warmth amid the expansive blues.
While primarily composed of calming horizontal elements, Carova also features a gentle diagonal movement in the form of a single rolling wave, its delicate white crest drawing the viewer’s attention. This slight angular shift enlivens the composition while preserving its tranquil, meditative quality. Greenwald’s blending and layering of oil paint further enhance the painting’s depth, creating a seamless transition of tones that invite the eye to wander freely through the scene. By abstracting the landscape and removing overt human presence, the artist encourages a direct and personal engagement with nature’s quiet grandeur.
Where the Grass is Always Greener, 2000
Materials & Dimensions: Oil on canvas, 36” x 48”
Location at Summa Health: Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion
About the Art
This scene, perhaps Ohio, perhaps Britain or Ireland, offers a vision of idyllic pasturelands and evokes the term pastoral, which speaks not only to geography but also to a sense of nostalgia for a simpler era. The clouds, while dominant in scale, do not cast an ominous presence; rather, they echo the undulating hills below, or perhaps the land mirrors the sky. Earth and air exist in quiet harmony, while unseen water gives life to the vibrant fields.
In Where the Grass is Always Greener, Michael Greenwald removes human presence and man-made structures, allowing nature to stand on its own. His softened lines and gentle blending of color invite contemplation, creating an atmosphere of stillness and expectancy, a landscape awaiting the rhythm of rain and patiently playing its part in the natural cycle.
Greenwald describes his landscapes as loosely based on photographs from his travels yet intentionally stripped of unnecessary details to remove narrative constraints. He paints undeveloped and unpopulated places, offering a pared-down world that encourages meditation. His work embodies a quiet advocacy for conservation, prompting viewers to reflect on nature’s purity and the delicate balance it sustains.
Landscapes hold a special place in healing environments, fostering a sense of tranquility and introspection. The Summa Collection prioritizes landscapes that are deeply personal interpretations by individual artists, inviting viewers to look more closely, reflect more deeply, and engage with the world in new ways.
About the Artist
Born in Oxford, England, and raised in Cleveland, Michael Greenwald brings a diverse background to his artistic practice. He earned a B.A. in Anthropology and Sculpture from Skidmore College before expanding his studies to painting and glass at the Cleveland Institute of Art. This multidisciplinary foundation informs his unique approach to form, texture, and material. Greenwald maintains an active studio in Cleveland’s Superior Arts District, where he continues to explore new creative directions.
Where You Can See More of Michael Greenwald’s Work
Greenwald’s artwork has been widely exhibited, including solo shows at the Guren Gallery in the Cleveland Botanical Gardens and group exhibitions throughout Cleveland, northern Ohio, San Francisco, and New York. His work is part of several prominent collections, including those of Cleveland Clinic, Southpoint General Hospital, and University Hospitals in Cleveland.
Recognized for his artistic excellence, Greenwald has received multiple honors, including the 2017 Director’s Choice Award at the Cain Park Arts Festival and a fellowship from the Jewish Arts and Culture Lab of the Mandel Jewish Community Center.
For a broader selection of his recent work, visit the artist’s website.
The Healing Arts at Summa Health
- Next featured artist: Walter Grossman
- Homepage: summahealth.org/art
- More artwork in new patient tower