How long have you been painting with Coffee?

I have been painting with coffee since the fall of 2008

Most of the paintings are not behind glass, how are they protected?

Some of my earlier paintings are actually framed behind glass.  However,  as I continued to develop my technique, one of the aspects I wanted to enhance was the painting's final display. Placing the painting behind glass is a current traditional way of displaying watercolors, yet, its difficult, even with gallery level lighting,  to ensure that the viewer will not deal with glare or undesired reflections.  In addition, my originals take on an almost "leather" texture and depth due to the multiple layers of coffee.  This texture was difficult to fully appreciate when the original was displayed behind glass.  Therefore, I began an in depth and scientific search as to how and what the "Old Masters" used to protect their work.  As a result, I was able to develop an archival process of sealing my paintings in multiple layers of non-water base coatings along with a final UV protective surface.  The process completely seals the original and allows for routine dusting with a soft cloth, but most importantly, permits the viewer to get right up on the painting and view the texture. The coatings are fully "Archival" and could be removed and reapplied by a skilled conservationist in much the same manor as is performed on original oil paintings.

What brands of coffee have you used in your Dark Roast Watercolor^™ paintings?

I have painted with the following coffee's
Barnie's Coffee & Tea^®, Douwe Egberts,  Dunkin Donuts^®, Folgers,  Peet's Coffee®, Seattle's Best^® (#5), Starbucks®

Would you consider painting with private custom roast coffees?

Yes.
I am always looking for new coffees to try, not only in my cup, but also on the paper.
And would welcome other coffee companies to contact me about working with their products. 

Read the interview with Steven Mikel on WhoHub.com here:

http://www.whohub.com/stevenmikel