Michael's interest in art began at an early age when he used to compete with a fellow classmate in grade school to see who could draw the best hot rod.  His classmate actually taught Michael how to draw the car in perspective, although somewhat rudimentary it helped to spark a keen interest in drawing and visual arts.  This interest led to lots of drawing, and eventually painting. 

While still in grade school, Michael was fortunate to have taken a field trip to the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York City.  Although the trip included viewing a wide variety of works, it was what the young Michael understood as "realistic" art that formed the most vivid memories.  Years later, he learned it was the Old Masters of the Renaissance through the 19th century that made the biggest impact.  It was these paintings that he thought were truly great.  He didn't realize until years later how important the influence of that field trip was in molding his view of what great art is. 

It was during his college years when Michael's interest in art began to expand.  A college drawing class firmly put him on a path that would lead him to where he is today.   During the 1980's, he worked in acrylic paints for landscapes as well as experimenting with abstract work.   During this time, his abstract work advanced his understanding of balance and design, however his inspiration was always rooted in representational art.   It was inevitable his work evolved into a representational style which pays close attention to abstract design.  To this end, further development came through years of completing a variety of art classes and workshops including 3 years of seasonal study with master classical artists Numael and Shirley Pulido  in Hancock, New Hampshire (New England School of Classical Realism).  

Michael works out of his rustic home studio where he has converted a portion of a barn.  With a woodstove glowing in the corner, he can often be found there painting late into the night.  In the warm months, and sometimes  not so warm, Michael splits his time between the studio and plein air sessions throughout Maine.  His work is exhibited frequently in national shows, and is widely collected.   

"At a relatively young age - too young to fully understand artistic and nuanced aesthetics, my first goal was to represent objects as they appear.  I simply strived to draw something and have it look like the object I was drawing.  My schooling revealed a wide range of artistic expressions, but I always went back to representational art.  I am fortunate to have found the right teachers at the right time who are also excellent and accomplished artists.

Having been painting for 25 plus years, my sense of aesthetics has developed from the effect of light in nature.  I look for ways to represent, rather than copy - interpret, rather than  replicate.    The way light reveals the objects is the way I see - undulating rise and fall of light intensity, describing both form and line.  Often, I see everyday objects made beautiful just in the way light washes over them.  I find this aesthetic interesting - sometimes subtle, sometimes not - a gift from nature, not affected by  pop-culture or the innumerable images around us, simply based in the natural world.  Interpreting and explaining this beauty in my paintings is the source of endless variety, and subject matter."

Recent Exhibits / Galleries :      

National and Regional Exhibits -

Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibit,  The Boston Guild of Artists, Allied Artists of America, Salmagundi Club, Hudson Valley Art Association, Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, Richeson International.

Artist Member, Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts  Avon, CT

Galleries: 

Gallery 5, Lewiston ME.

LA Arts, Lewiston ME

Devonhouse, Stonington CT.

Exhibits:

August 2004         Painters Exhibit; Hancock Public Library, Hancock, NH.

Winter 2005         Biennial Exhibit of Juried Works, Atrium Gallery, Lewiston, Maine           

Spring 2005          Exhibit, Art Show, Brunswick, Maine

Summer 2005       Exhibit, Prouts Neck Woman's Auxiliary at the Prouts Neck Country Club, Prouts Neck, Maine.

Fall 2005              Allied Artists of America 92nd Annual Exhibition at The National Art Club Galleries, New York City.

Late Fall 2005      Member Exhibit, Turner Center for the Arts, Turner, Maine

Feb. 2006            Featured artist exhibit, Woman's Hospital Association, Gallery at CMMC, Lewiston, Maine

March 2006        "The Voice of Color" exhibit,  Turner Center for the Arts, Turner, Maine

Spring 2006         Hudson Valley Art Association 75th Annual Exhibition, National Art Club Galleries, 15 Gramercy Park South, NYC

June-July 2006   "All In The Family" Art Exhibit, Nettie Ricker Gallery,  Poland Spring Inn, Poland Spring, Maine. 

June-July 2006    "Moving Stills", Calitano Gallery, 29 Forest Avenue, Portland, Maine.

August 2006        Exhibit, Prouts Neck Woman's Auxiliary at the Prouts Neck Country Club, Prouts Neck, Maine.

Oct.- Dec 2006   Solo Exhibit, Ike and Jodi Goodwin Gallery at Turner Center for the Arts, Turner, Maine

Jan-Mar 2007     "Area Artists" biennial exhibit of juried works at Atrium Gallery, Lewiston, Maine.

June-Oct 2007    Summer Art Exhibit, Nettie Ricker Gallery,  Poland Spring Inn, Poland Spring, Maine.

July 2007            Exhibit, Prouts Neck Woman's Auxiliary at the Prouts Neck Country Club, Prouts Neck, Maine.  

July-Aug 2007   "New England Representational" Exhibit, Bronze Medal,  The Guild of Boston Artists, 162 Newbury Street, Boston, MA.

August 2007       "On the Rocks" Exhibit, Gallery 5, 221 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine

Nov-Dec 2007   "In Good Company" Exhibit,  Turner Center for the Arts, Turner, Maine

Nov-Dec 2007   "Red and Green" Exhibit, Gallery 5, 221 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine

Jan-Mar 2008     "The Richeson75 International" Exhibit, Finalist,  Richeson Gallery, Kimberly, WI

July 2008            "Salmagundi Club of New York Annual Non-Members Exhibit", Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY

July 2008            Exhibit, Prouts Neck Woman's Auxiliary at the Prouts Neck Country Club, Prouts Neck, Maine.  

Sept. 2008          "Two Painters" Exhibit, 2 person show; Gallery 5, 221 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine

Spring 2009        "Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts" 98th 2009 Exhibition,  Mystic Art Center, Mystic CT.

July 2009            Exhibit, Prouts Neck Woman's Auxiliary at the Prouts Neck Country Club, Prouts Neck, Maine.  

Summer 2009      "River Ways" Exhibit, Gallery 5, 221 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine

Fall 2009             "Eastern Regional Exhibition" Oil Painters of America, Corse Gallery and Atelier, Jacksonville, FL. 

Spring 2010        "Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts" 99th 2010 Exhibition,  Mystic Art Center, Mystic CT.

July 2010            "Salmagundi Club of New York Annual Non-Members Exhibit", Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY

August 2010        Exhibit, Prouts Neck Woman's Auxiliary at the Prouts Neck Country Club, Prouts Neck, Maine.  

Fall 2010            "Eastern Regional Exhibition" Oil Painters of America, Walls Fine Art Gallery, Wilmington, NC. 

Spring 2011          "Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts" 100th 2011 Exhibition,  Mystic Art Center, Mystic CT.

Spring 2011        "Frozen in Time" Exhibit,  Gallery 5, 221 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine

Summer  2011    "National Exhibition" Oil Painters of America, Devin Galleries Coeur d'Alene, ID. 

Summer 2011      Hudson Valley Art Association 75th Annual Exhibition, Lyme Art Association, Old Lyme, CT.