About the Artist

Michael was born in the small town of Parsons, Kansas. His family moved to St. Louis a few years later. Michael’s interest in art emerged at the age of 7, prompted by a second grade assignment to draw a bird, the results of which garnered praise from his class. Drawing soon became an obsession, which included drawing family portraits. He found the human face to be his most challenging and interesting subject. He won several awards in high school competitions and was awarded the senior art award upon graduation in 1968.

Michael graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Art Education in 1972. After graduation, he decided to find a job in commercial art rather than teach high school art. His first position was as an airbrush artist restoring old photos. He worked various pasteup jobs before becoming Art Director for Liturgical Publications. He was promoted to Vice President and tasked with opening two new plants, one in Kansas City and another in Toronto. Although a steady income was taking precedence over creating fine art, he continued paint and develop his skills in his free time.

In 1978 he and his family moved back to Kansas City where he was hired as a manager with Inter Collegiate Press. He oversaw 150 people in Art, Pasteup, Typesetting, Camera and Film Stripping departments that produced high school yearbooks. While in KC, he participated annually in the Westport and Plaza art shows, and did illustration work with Hallmark and a computer magazine out of Boston. 

In 1986, Michael accepted a Vice President of Production position with Callaghan Legal Publishing Co. in Chicago.  He managed a print production staff of over 200 people which included the printing plant. He introduced technologies that transformed their production and editorial processes,  and was elevated to Senior VP. During this same time period Michael was showing and selling work in the Long Grove Art Gallery.

As technology began eliminating traditional prepress jobs, Michael decided to shift into technology, accepting the position of Director of Technology with Dearborn Financial Publishing in 1992. In 1997, he worked as a consultant for a year until he accepted a position with Law Bulletin Publishing Co. as IT Director. During this same time he focused on improving his portrait skills by studying with renowned portrait artist, Richard Halstead, in Chicago. He was also a member The Plein Air Painters of Chicago.

In 2010 he and his wife Beth decided to buy a small publishing business in New Mexico, and subsequently moved to Tijeras in the Sandia Mountains, an hours drive from Santa Fe. This enabled him to spend more time developing his art interests. It also has inspired his interest in painting western subjects. He has shown in 3 galleries. Currently his work in displayed in Legends of the West Gallery in Santa Fe. His participation in several premier juried art shows during the last 14 years have produced 24 awards as detailed below. He is a member of NM Plein Air Painters, Rio Grande Art Association, NM Art league. He can be found painting in his studio most days or on location with his plein air group of friends.

Summary

Michael's development as an artist ran parallel to his career in publishing until 2009 when he could dedicate full time to painting. Art has always been his primary interest since he was 7. In spite of all the accolades and awards, Michael has strived to continuously learn and improve his abilities. In addition to improving as an artist, he studies Indian culture and American history from the mid 1800s that is reflected in his western subjects. 

Awards