Michael Fisher:
“I grew up in New York City, a perfect place to live if you’re a child obsessed with art. In grade school I was the kid that drew monsters on my class- mates notebooks. Encouraged by my parents, probably because they didn’t realize the true worth of monster art, I decided to get some formal training. I enrolled at the High School of Art and Design which started my path to illustration. In high school I developed an interest in fine arts leading me to college where I would attend Queens College, Silvermine College of Art, and San Francisco Art Institute.
With my new shiny degree in hand, I went out into the business world and got a job in a restaurant in Tribecca and later the West Village NYC while still making art in my spare time. I loved the restaurant business. I met my wife there, made many friends, and had an amazing amount of wonderful and bizarre experiences. It helped to shape me.
A mere 10-years later, realizing I couldn’t stay in food services forever, we picked up roots, moved to the Pittsburgh area and bought a farmette. In Pittsburgh I had to redefine myself by falling back on my passion for art. There I worked doing freelance, making commercials in an animation studio, and was introduced to graphic arts in the newspaper industry.
After 8-years in newspapers it was time to move on. Looking in the newspaper trade magazines I spotted a help wanted ad for an artist at The Portland Press Herald and thought Maine would be a great place to live. I auditioned for a week, got the job and stayed for 24-years. Life has a funny way of being cyclical because now I’m back to drawing monsters again.”