Artist Bio

Curiosity and a strong sense of wonder have motivated my lifetime of discovery and adventure. In the process I have traveled the world, earned a Ph.D., served as a Captain in the Marine Corps and found self-expression as an artist. I have been a factory worker in Sweden, harvested bananas on an Israeli kibbutz, conducted political research in China and have lived in every American time zone.

Through all of my sojourns I have been drawn to the artistic and historical artifacts of those who have come before me. From ancient Rome through medieval Normandy, to the Chinese imperial palaces or native American pictographs I found myself not only appreciating the beauty of what I was seeing but focusing deeply on the details that comprised the whole. Whether the individual brush strokes of a painting, the chipped surface of marble statues, or the ruins of ancient cultures I was compelled to imagine the original artist creating, move by move, the piece that was now before me.

My early photography reflected this interest as I began to integrate more images of parts and patterns with my landscapes and scenes. In this way my artistic vision developed, focusing on the unique details; details that when well composed create an emotional affect which expresses our individual connection to society and nature.

Studying art history expanded my horizons to the abstractions of modern art and the emphasis on interpreted meaning. Some influential artists for me have been Henri Moore, Claude Monet, M.C. Escher, Brett Weston and Andy Goldsworthy. As my photography evolves the influence of modernism is strongest for it is through abstraction that the details and my relationship to them become more poignant.

Evolving in phases over time photography is a true passion. I am self-trained and gather my knowledge from many art and photography resources. The majority of my photos are natural compositions with my primary focus on the exploration of the aesthetic and contemplative beauty of nature’s intimate landscapes.

- Michael McCoy

Shows and Exhibits

Galleries
Art of Wine (Eureka California)

Juried Shows
2009 Images of Water (regional, Morris Graves Museum, Eureka, California)
2007 Redwood Art Association Spring Show (Eureka, California)
2007 Images of Water (regional, Morris Graves Museum, Eureka, California)

Open Shows
2009 Redwood Art Association Fall Show (Eureka, California)
2009 Eureka Photoshop Users Group Show (Eureka, California)
2009 Redwood Art Association Summer Show (Eureka, California)
2009 Hagopian Gallery, (Eureka, Californeia)
2008 Redwood Art Association Fall Show (Eureka, California)
2008 Redwood Art Association Summer Show (Eureka, California)
2007 Redwood Art Association Fall Show (Eureka, California)

Group Shows
2010 Art of Wine, (Eureka California)
2010 Westhaven Center for the Arts, (Eureka, California)
2009 Art of Wine, (Eureka California)

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