Mike Zillgitt Art

09/25/2026

I entered this painting of a Blue-winged Teal into this year’s Federal Duck Stamp Competition. I’ve never made it past the first round of this competition, so that was my goal this year. The painting did make it to the second round and scored reasonably well, placing in the top 26 of 333 total entries. Not high enough to make it to the third and final round, but came much closer than I expected. Overall I’m super happy with the results, excited to continue working on closing the gap, and thankful for your continuous encouragement and affirmation. Have a great weekend!

08/28/2026

Hints of Autumn are in the air as the sun sets on another Summer. This time of year always brings a sense of nostalgia—excitement for the beauty and change that comes with Autumn, accompanied by a fond longing for Summer days gone and now sealed forever in the land of memories.

05/07/2026

A few of my original paintings are on display at Paddle On Coffee in Lanesboro, MN through the end of June. Stop by if you get a chance and don’t forget to grab a coffee or brunch item. Special thanks to Ryan and Allie for the opportunity to exhibit my work in the warm and welcoming space they’ve created.

04/13/2026

A recently commissioned oil painting featuring sanderlings. A wonderful opportunity and really fun project from field to studio!

04/13/2026

03/11/2026

This is a commissioned painting I recently finished. An iconic scene that I've been wanting to paint for quite some time, and I'm so thankful for being given the opportunity to do so.

02/13/2026

01/23/2026

Each new sunrise, each new day, cherish the gift before it slips away.

12/05/2023

Free painting give away this Friday. During the exhibit from 4 to 7 pm this Friday at South x Southeast Brewery, you can enter your name into the drawing. At the end of the exhibit we'll draw one name, and the winner can pick one of these five original paintings. Must be present to enter the drawing. Hope to see you there!

05/18/2023

This is the first of a few color studies prior to taking this idea to a large canvas. I’m planning to try a few different color palettes to see which will work best for this scene. These studies are also a great chance to experiment freely with the mountains and overall composition. Hoping to achieve a bold and dramatic effect with the mountains in the final piece.