Born on
August 6th, 1962 into an environment steeped in the arts Michael’s
formal introduction into art began in his late teens. After graduating
from high school in Taos, New Mexico, Michael spent the following summer
in Woodstock, New York studying with Vladimir Bachinsky. It was
Vladimir’s inspiration and enthusiasm for art which sparked a deep
passion in Michael toward the great masters of the past and too the
importance of great draftsmanship.
Inspired
by the great masters, in particular the masters of the High Renaissance,
on Vladimir’s recommendation, Michael at the age of eighteen left his
home in Taos, N.M. for New York City to attend the Art Students League
and the National Academy of Design. Within a month of his arrival
Michael showed so much promise as a draftsman that at the request of his
instructor Gustav Rehberger he was granted a full scholarship.
Passionately interested in the human figure, Michael was constantly
drawing from life, when unable to draw from live models he spent all his
free time studying canons of proportion and human anatomy. These
masterful drawings done in his late teens show all the struggle and
determination of a young artisan learning to master his craft. The
comprehensive collection of Michael’s youthful figure studies is
considered by many to be a masterpiece in its own right.
Meanwhile
continuing his studies, Michael began exhibiting his work with the Park
Slope Art Association, Salmagundi Club, and the Brooklyn Museum of Fine
Art. After studying for only one year, Michael was told by his
instructor Gustav Rehberger that he had learned his lessons well and
continuing with a formal art education would only hamper his
individuality and growth as an artist and that it was time for him to
follow his own path.
It was at
about this time that Michael and his young family returned home to help
with the care of his mother Carolyn B. Hensley. Michael’s mother, a
diabetic for many years had become increasingly ill. While raising his
son Havean, Michael’s interest in philosophy and classical literature
began to make its way on to the canvas.
Working on
mural size canvases Michael began his pictorial Tour de Force the
“Ascent” and “Descent”. Using his knowledge of anatomy, Michael set out
to fill these masterpieces with human figures in every conceivable
position. The finished paintings were a culmination of several years
work.
During
this time Michael had also begun two other large emotionally charged
paintings, one a crucifixion entitled “Sangre de Cristo”, which was
painted as a tribute to his ailing mother and a very personal painting
entitled “Prometheus Bound”.
In July of
1988 Michael married Faith Elizabeth Luther, two children were soon to
follow, the first a son Joshua was born on June 18th, 1990 followed a
few years later by a daughter Zoie who was born on September 17th, 1995
.
Michael,
now widely acknowledged as a master draftsman of the human form began to
merge the art of the past with the contemporary. Shortly after his
mothers passing, Michael painted one of his most personal and moving
paintings to date. The painting entitled an “Allegory of Time” was
executed as a tribute to her memory.
At this
time Michael was also creating a new surrealistic body of work.
Intermingled human forms bursting with nervous tension and energy, are
harmoniously interlocked with the great sages of the past who are
seemingly contemplating mankind’s predestined fate. It is here in this
broad humanistic conception that Michael aspires to convey the
unrelenting spirit of mankind. While still enjoying to work from live
models, it is this theme that currently permeates his thoughts.
