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 everything from abstract expressionism to early Renaissance art, it was art of the late Renaissance through the 19th century that formed the most vivid memories.  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.

Michael's training in the arts was first developed through independent drawing and school art classes.  Drawing and art classes at the college level further rounded out his early learning, then after graduating and through the 1980's, he continued with drawing and using 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 realistic 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 study with master classical artists Numael and Shirley Pulido  in Hancock, New Hampshire (New England School of Classical Realism).  

"At a relatively young age - too young to fully understand artistic and nuanced aesthetics, my first artistic influences 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 compositions where I can represent how light reveals what we see.   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.  It’s my hope to explain this beauty to others in my paintings and give the viewer an uplifting experience. "

Recent Exhibits / Galleries :      

Competitions participated -

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

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.