Mike was born and raised in Southern California and currently resides in the Sierra foothills of Northern California. His artistic ability was noted early in life but he chose a law enforcement career before turning to art full time. Mike attended the California Art Institute in Southern California for his formal art education and has followed up with numerous workshops from living master artists in the plein air, figurative and portraiture genres. He is also a member of a number of art organizations and is a signature member of the National Academy of Professional Plein Air Painters.

Mike loves the great outdoors in particular our Nation’s National Parks, which he believes contain the most awe inspiring scenery in the world. Mike generally paints “en plein air”, but also paints larger studio paintings from plein air studies. He believes that great works of art are painted primarily from life and not from photographs. He prides himself on being able to paint from life quickly and accurately whether the subject is our beautiful western landscape or a model posing in period costume.

Mike also paints scenes of working cowboys, American Indians and wildlife. This is from his love of our American heritage from the settlers who perilously ventured west to the American Indians who understood the rugged unspoiled beauty of our western landscape long before we settled here. These paintings are generally from photographs but many contain landscapes from plein air studies just like his larger studio paintings.

Mike has been competing in art competitions for the past six years and in the last three years has received an impressive number of awards and honors at the National level. These awards include the following:

Mike is represented by the Fire & Rain Gallery, El Dorado Hills, Ca; the Portico Gallery, Montecito, CA; and, The Coastside: A Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA.  He is also in corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad.

NOTE: Visit Mike’s primary web site at www.mikebagdonas.com for additional information.

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