Escape Spring/Summer 2016

Page 43

43

Be sure to check out Michael's mural up close at the entrance to The Events Center.

How did you first get into doing art?

some of them not. I don’t think there’s any

What’s your favorite medium to work in?

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t do it. I

surrealist painter who can’t acknowledge

Honestly, almost all my work is acrylic paints on

remember Patrick Woodruff said this great

what Salvador Dali did, in terms of making

Masonite. Good old-fashioned pencil on paper

quote: “Everyone’s born an artist.” Throughout

people aware of surrealist art. I think most

might be still my favorite, in terms of the raw

the process of growing up, you get bribed into

people in my generation, that’s probably

immediacy. Most of my concepts are still just

putting these childish things behind and you

some of their first exposure to that type

sketching with a number two mechanical pencil.

get a little more responsibility, you get a car,

of work. Less obvious, but Caravaggio, an

you get an allowance, you stop playing with

Italian late Renaissance painter, is one of my

How long have you been painting murals?

toys and you stop drawing. You stop doing all

absolute favorite artists. His work is nothing

The first mural I did was the “Catnap” mural in

these things. And for whatever reason, artists

like mine—really dark shadows and really

Carlsbad in 2012, so I’ve been painting murals

are the people who that particular set of social

emotional religious work. It’s really incredibly

for about four years. I’m actually looking to

pressures never really takes. I always liked that.

heavy heartbreakingly beautiful stuff. Every

paint two more in the beginning of this year.

time I saw his work, it just made me want to

One of them is going to be in a private residence

Who do you cite as one of the main influences

paint and made me really want to get better—

in San Diego, and the other one is yet-to-be

for your work?

to really understand paint and light in the way

determined. If I can get my expenses covered,

There’s a fair amount—some of them obvious,

that he did.

give me a wall and I’ll donate my time. #HARRAHSSOCAL


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