I need to find out the name of the artist who painted this oil painting I have.?

Question

The artist's signiture is hard to make out. It look like I Mai.... that's how it looks like it starts with. It's really hard to tell.
The painting is on a black (crushed velvet type) canvas. The painting is set in the forest with ice cap mountains in the distance at the top of the painting. The focal point is an old mill beside a lake. If anyone recognizes who the artist may be, please let me know. Thanks!

Answer 1

most paintings done on black velvet are considered to be "assembly line" paintings. They're cranked out by shops and usually different parts of the paintings are done by several artists, sometimes on an actual assembly line. I know, because I used to work in one of these shops, and from your description of the painting, I'm betting that at least 5 artists worked on it, and it took them less than 5 minutes to do it.

Answer 2

If it is truely crushed velvet cloth (not canvas painted flat black), I can't imagine any artist doing permanent work on the substance, so the signature is probably of the original artist who did the painting on more durable material and yours was made as a copy.