Seeing our culture driven by many influences becomes a subject matter that holds relevance for me and is best illustrated in reflecting iconography. I see myself as an artist not an activist, making my role to report and observe. The iconography comes from many cultural sources. I see historical correlations within our times both in ideology and in imagery. Some symbols are self-evident, while others take a moment of reflection.

My idea is to provoke thought about how we live life and interact with one another locally and globally. The overlapping of image becomes a map of influencing philosophies. I want the viewer to reflect on their times.

I have studied art and have moved across the US.  My degrees are from:

Washington University of St. Louis     St. Louis, MO

Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting

Carnegie-Mellon University     Pittsburgh, PA

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting

But I do not believe that where I studied can tell the viewer anything about the visual communication that appears in the art work.

 - Michael Pesselato