Michael was born in Minneapolis MN into Greek immigrant family.  After graduating Southwest high school he attended the University of Minnesota enrolled in the Fine Arts Department majoring in photography.  He was adept at darkroom procedures and started making large format black and white photographs.  After graduation Mike traveled throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada.  He continued his wanderlust throughout life, exploring Greece, Japan, Ireland and Russia.

His black and white photographs of his grandparents village in mainland  Greece were highly prized.  Michael developed all his own photographs in his darkroom located in basement level of the New French Café & Bar in the warehouse district of Minneapolis. There, he forged friendships with other talented young artists; Steve Hartman, Stuart Nielson, Phillip Larson, Gus Gustafson, Steve Sorman, and many others in the 70’s and 80’s.

Glen Hanson, who had been director of Gallery 12 at Dayton’s opened a gallery next to The New French Café with Russell Cowles where Mike showed his work for several years.  Later, Bob Thompson took ownership and it became the Thompson Gallery, where Mike continued exhibitions of his artwork.

Michael’s career as an artist lasted until his death in 2014. He started making lithograph and intaglio prints after studying with master printmaker Rudi Pozzatti at Echo Press in Bloomington Indiana.  Mike’s unique method of combining B&W photo’s into his prints was new and exciting.  His one-man show at Film in the Cities, St. Paul sold out.

Ever searching for more inspiration, Michael started experimenting with paints. Using acrylic and eventually oils his work on canvas and/or paper took on a different dimension.  Adding beeswax to the oil paint he made a series of encaustic paintings he sold directly from his studio.  Mike later experimented with epoxy resin and photography to make 3 dimensional works of art.

Michael met his future wife Nina Chenault in 1975 while they were attending the University of Minnesota. They lived and traveled together until they married in 1988 and finally settled down, buying a house in Seward  neighborhood of Minneapolis.  Mike built his art studio on the property and worked there exclusively until his death.

In 2005 tragedy struck when Michael tripped and fell down the basement stairs  in his home and suffered a traumatic brain injury.  He underwent a surgery to remove a section of his skull to relieve pressure in his brain.  He spent 10 days in an induced coma in ICU.   Surgeons replaced the piece of skull and the healing process began.  The doctors were stunned at his recovery, and said he was a miracle.  After a year of physical and occupation therapy, Michael made a good recovery and was able to continue working in his studio making art.

His death in 2014 at the age of 62 was unexpected. His wife Nina found him in his studio on the floor, not breathing.  Paramedics were unable to revive him and his death was attributed to a variety of natural factors, including enlarged heart.

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Walker Art Center

Weisman Art Museum

Brooklyn Museum of Art

Art Museum of Nova Scotia

Minnesota History Museum

Art Museum Rutgers University

CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

General Mills Foundation

Cray Research

Medtronic Corporation

Cowles Media

Franklin Mint

Philadelphia Savings Fund Society

Ballinglen Foundation

Pipper, Jaffery, Hopwood

University of Indiana

Dayton Hudson Corporation

Hughes & Luce

Prudential Insurance Co.

St. Paul Companies

Indiana University

Shearson Lehman Brothers

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2012 Movement Arts Gallery

2010 Nielsen Gallery

2005 Opening Night Gallery

1995 Carolyn Ruff Gallery

1991 Streensland Gallery

1990 Piper, Jaffray, Hopwood Inc.

1998 Dolan Maxwell Gallery

1987 Thompson Gallery

1982 Glen Hanson Gallery

1978 Hansen Cowles Gallery

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2011  Art Org Gallery  “Then and Now”  MN

2006  Concord Gallery  “The Ballinglen Experience” MA

2005  Pegasus Gallery “ Reacao, a Collaboration”  VT

2004  AVA Gallery “Tondo Project”   NH

1997  California Museum of Art  “A Thought Intercepted” CA

1994  Philadelphia Art Alliance  “Artists in Rural Ireland” PA

1993  Royal Academy of London  “Oringinal Prints” Englad 

1992  Katherine Nash Gallery “Works om Paper”  MN

1991  Print Club of Philadelphia  PA

1990  Indiana U. Museum Gallery “Echo Press ” IN

1989  Brooklyn Museum  NY

         Dolan Maxwell Gallery  NY

         Associated American Artists NY

1987  First Bank  MN

         Bethel College MN 

1986  Minneapolis Institute of Art  MN

1985  Dolan Maxwell Gallery  PA

1981  Film in the Cities  MN

         University of Wisconsin Invitational  WI

1979  University of Minnesota Invitational  MN

1978  Kohler Art Center  WI

1977  Rochester Art Center  MN

REVIEWS AND PUBLICATIONS

Print Collectors Newsletter

“Being Human”

Volume XXVII Number 1

Print Collectors Newsletter

“Niobe”

Volume XXI  Number 2

Print Collectors Newsletter

“Naken Suite I – VIII”

Volume XX, Number 3

The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Methods of Link Sculpture and Painting”

By Victoria Donahue

Art Paper

“Art and Pleasure”

By George Reid

Brooklyn Museum Catalog

“Projects and Portfolios”

By Barry Walker

University of Indiana Museum Catalog

“Echo Press, a Decade of Printmaking”

pages 25, 26, 54-56, 71-72, 95

Minnesota Daily

“From Greece to America”

 By David Skarjune

Minneapolis Star Tribune

“The Art of Being Human”

By Mary Abbe