B. 1980 in Newark, New Jersey.

Direct, candid, and autobiographical, Michael De Brito’s portrait and genre scene paintings pay homage to the daily routines, rituals and spontaneous moments of daily life. Choosing subjects he knows and cares about is very important to De Brito especially because he is most interested in the aesthetic of a natural moment rather than an imagined or staged scene.

To capture life in motion with truth demands a rigorous study of people in action. In order to sharpen his skills and to learn more about the relationship that connects emotion to movement. De Brito took to the subway to observe and sketch varieties of people moving erratically. Over time this exercise has taught him to become swift in his own painterly gesture and to abbreviate when needed as he incorporates the physical expressions and gestures that are so vital to the design of each work.

One of his favorite subjects to convey – is his Portuguese grandmother, her kitchen and the cast of ever changing characters that arrive for the ritual of the midday meal. “Lunch is at 2 o’clock and the food served is Portuguese 80 percent of the time.” He describes, ” I sketch – People don’t pay attention to me anymore, the regulars are me, my father, sometimes my mother and the ladies upstairs. You’ll notice in my paintings that there is usually an unoccupied place at the table – not many people know that’s me, my place”

Michael De Brito received a BFA from the Parson School of Design in New York City and also studied at the New York Academy of Art. He is the recipient of the prestigious Pollack-Krasner Grant. De Brito’s works have been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, London; the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh; and the Presidential Museum, Lisbon.