Featured Artist: Mike Moore

Meet Mike Moore from MMstudios. "I'm from Columbus, Ohio, but right now I am out in a tiny little town about 45 minutes away (thats 45 minutes from Columbus, not from you. Unless you're in Columbus, then it is indeed 45 minutes from you). It's been a huge adjustment moving here. No night clubs, no coffee shops, no Columbus art district." But he adds that there IS indeed a diner down the street that closes just past noon.

Unwanted Guests series by Mike Moore

Mike recently opened his Etsy shop (MMstudios) and he's investigating selling locally. "Columbus really does have a nice art district with lots of galleries and shops dispaying work."

Detailed Orchid by Mike Moore

Mike is a fan of many different styles of art. "I am in awe over the old masters. I had a classically trained painting teacher that really made me appreciate the techniques...careful layers and layers of thin glazes building up and giving life to an oil painting is an amazing thing that cant be duplicated any other way..." He adds that his love of retro culture, commercial artists, tattoo artists, and "passion for the pin up artists like Elvgren and Vargas of the 40s and 50s" help round out his inspiration as well as his comic book collection as a child. "I loved collecting comic books as a kid, so of course I came to appreciate some of the better artists involved...Milt Caniff (known as the Rembrandt of the comics), who did Steve Canyon and Terry and the Pirates comics is a personal favorite, and his famous chiaroscuro shadow technique inspired me..." One of his new favorite artists is Mark Ryden. "He is amazing to me for his combination of lowbrow subject matters, mixed with truly old master quality painting techniques."

Eye, Heart, and Sharpies by Mike Moore

Besides art (Mike says, "Well...its ALL about art isnt it?"), Mike says, "I love classic movies, vintage clothes, old diners, collecting old glass cocktail shakers and USING them, hot rods, road trips, food and cooking, Food TV, tattoos, coffee shops, riding bicycles, and playing with my three year old daughter! When im out with my daughter, women approach saying, 'Oh how beautiful! How old?' I say, 'I'm 50.'" He has a long-haired dachshund named Hans, and says, "I'm in pretty good company because Picasso and Andy Warhol both had pet dachshunds..."

Mosquito by Mike Moore

Be sure to check out his Etsy shop... it's great... and totally affordable!