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Ever since I can remember I was drawing and painting. I remember trying to get a job painting store front windows for Halloween, while I was in the 8th grade. All through high school I continued dabbling with my art work. While I was a senior, my father passed away. Upon my graduation I got a job with a major oil company at the San Francisco Airport, and I just retired after 35 years of service. However, I stayed with my art work, and while working at the airport I went to Chabot Junior College in Hayward, California. It was there that I got interested in painting.
As a kid growing up in the Chicago area, and being a child of the 50’s, television had a huge impact on my life and in those early years of television the Westerns were my favorite shows. Roy, Gene, and the Rifleman. It was a dream comes true when my family moved to California in 1964. The West! out side my back door, Mountains, deserts, horses, cattle ranches and big skies.
I joined the California Cowboy Association [CCA} in 1971, with some old friends from high school and on weekends we would travel to sanctioned rodeos in California and Nevada. I kept up with sketching and painting when I could, mostly rodeo events. I rode bulls, and bare back, wore a black, Bailey Hat, and met my wife. We were married in 1973, and had a daughter in 1974. It was then I gave up riding in rodeos.
In 1977 I was transferred to Detroit, Michigan. I was depressed and missed the western skies; however It gave me and my family an opportunity to see other parts of the country. It was there I concentrated on painting wildlife. Ducks, geese, whitetail deer and other species of animals. I would paint mostly mallard ducks and Canadian geese, and sold my paintings at street fairs and galleries in the area. At my regular job, I cartoons regarding safety and environmental subjects. Living in Detroit is difficult but my art kept taking me away from gray skies, cold and rain.
In 1989 I was transferred to Cincinnati, Ohio and my art work ceased. Like most companies, I had fewer employees to do the job and a 12 hour day was, more the rule than the exception. I had diverse assignments; I ran an asphalt terminal, in Cincinnati and Peoria, Il, and two gasoline terminals in Dayton and Columbus, Ohio.
In 2004 the company was selling their assets, so I elected to retire to the west, and moved to Reno, Nevada in the spring of 2005. I immediately bought canvas brushes, paint’s and began painting. My wife and I now live in Las Vegas due to a job shift for her. So here I am still painting …for me and you. I hope you enjoy them.
The Nevada Waterfowl Association and the Nevada Department of Wildlife recognized Michael’s artwork in Nevada’s 30th Annual Duck Stamp Art Contest (2007) featuring the pintail duck. There were several entries from throughout the United States and Canada. Michael came in Ninth Place.
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