About Mike

















Hello, my name is Michael Garrett and I live in upstate New York.  All my life I have had a love of art.  Now that I am retired, I am able to pursue my passion in art full-time.  This blog allows me to showcase my work and connect with others that share my interests.  I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.  Feel free to read my blog often and leave constructive feedback.

My Interests
I have always had very eclectic taste and a wide range of interests.  I am constantly soaking up new information and learning about new techniques.  The foundation of my art is based in my admiration of comics, graphic novels, science fiction and fantasy. 

I enjoy all types of music and love listening to audio books.  I am an avid reader with a huge appetite for any and all subjects.  I appreciate local history and folklore.  My minor in college was film study/history; I am a film buff, especially old “B” movies.  I really like playing and watching basketball; I’m a diehard, lifelong Syracuse basketball fan.  Call me crazy but I also root for the Buffalo Bills (maybe one day they will make it to the Super Bowl).  I also care deeply about environmental issues.  I consider myself a locavore (local food movement/farm to plate). I’m also a conspiracy theorist.  Let’s not forget UFOs and aliens.  I’m not saying it was aliens…but it was aliens!  All of my interests are woven into the fabric of my artwork.

My Career
At the beginning of my career, I worked in various design studios and advertising agencies.  Before retiring, I worked for almost four decades, at a State University of New York College, as a Graphic Designer and Photographer.  For twenty of those years, I taught various credit and non-credit courses as an adjunct instructor. 

The Study of Art
I attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in the early 1970s for two years and transferred to Syracuse University, where I finished my Bachelor’s Degree.  In Chicago I was lucky enough to study with figure drawing teacher extraordinaire, Fred Burger.  At Syracuse I had Reynold Ruffins, Isadore Seltzer, Thomas B. Allen, Ivan R. Powell as instructors. 

In the early 1980s, I attended the well-known Illustrators Workshop in Tarrytown, New York.  I was fortunate enough to meet two of my favorite illustrators; Bernie Fuchs and Mark English. 

I returned to Syracuse in the mid 1980s to work on my Masters’ Degree.  I studied with David Passalacqua, Murray Tinkelman, Daniel Schwartz, Joesph Bowler, Bernie D’Andrea and my favorite instructor, Barron Storey. 

In the 1990s I attended the weeklong intense workshop with artist Milton Glaser at the School of the Visual Arts in New York City. 

Throughout the years, I’ve have always updated my skills as an artist.  Over the past two decades I have studied with:  Gregory Manchess, Paul McCormack, Teresa Fasolino, Lisa Cyr, Irena Roman and William Low.

Feel free to check my blog often.  Don’t hesitate to leave constructive criticism.  Thanks for visiting my blog and viewing my work.



No comments: