When we met, Mike’s “studio” was in the attic of his childhood home. His talent then was apparent. At that time, he was strictly drawing with colored pencils. As I remember, very expensive colored pencils. Our relationship grew at the speed of light and before you knew it, we had our daughter, Stephanie. I can remember all those years ago trying to convince him to do something with his art during our car rides to his grandparent’s house in Mt Kisco, NY. Mike was so insecure about his ability back then that he would rather talk about anything other than his art. When we moved into our first home, now with a son, Mikey, and daughter, we had enough room for him to have a drafting board in our bedroom. Mike was still drawing with colored pencils, it was then that he created a caricature of Stephanie. I also remember him drawing Mick Jagger, Spike Lee, Cindy Crawford, as well as others that escape me now. Mike refused to show his art to anyone except me. It was in that house that Mike decided to teach himself how to paint. One of his first paintings, if not THE first was Santa Snowshoer. It was the only painting that my mother got to see. It is with this painting that I think he finally knew he had a true gift. My mother was not one to pass out compliments very easily or frequently but when she saw this painting, she definitely let Mike know that it was something special that he had so much more to give this world than what most people got to see from him.
