While I was growing up my family spent quite a few weekends and vacations in the mountains either camping or fishing and it was there that I developed a very deep appreciation for wildlife. After deciding on an animal to draw I spend days, weeks sometimes, trying to decide what personality to give them (I know all animals have a personality), to me this is most important. When people look at my wildlife drawings I want them to know what the animal is thinking, what they have experienced. I do this by concentrating on facial expressions, the eyes especially. I believe that in animals as with people that the eyes truly are the windows to the soul. I also wanted to say something about the drawing on the right. This is my first wildlife drawing, This is a spider. I did this drawing when I was 3 years old. This is one original that is NOT for sale.

Now for the bio stuff: 

Michael Carey, an internationally known pencil artist, is best know for his ability to grab a moment in time and captures it’s uniqueness, sentiment, or it’s humor and turn it into a beautiful piece of artwork. His works have won numerous awards in local and statewide art shows including the prestigious Lodi Art Show and the Sacramento Artists Guild Show and have been and are currently on display in galleries up and down the West Coast. Mike has also had his work on display at the Crocker Art Gallery in Sacramento, California. Mike’s collectors have likened his work to that of Rockwell, but with Mike’s unique perspective. Most of his work reflects special moments of his friend’s and family’s life experiences. You can even see the faces of friends and family that grace his Civil War and Americana pieces. Mike supports the community that supported him over all of these years and has donated his art to organizations including The Wild Turkey Federation, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, California Mule Deer Association, and local charities for fundraising. Mike has also been a contributing illustrator to many newspapers such as the Sacramento Bee and other publications including Outdoor California Magazine.

Mike was born in Willard, Ohio. At age 2, his Father packed up the family and moved them to Fair Oaks, California. It was during high school, under the expert guidance of instructors Dick Katel and Joe Canariato that Mike developed his artistic style of using graphite and colored pencil as his medium. After high school, Mike enlisted for 4 years in the Air Force and was stationed at George AFB in southern California. During this time, little did he know that his love of wildlife, fishing and camping would lead him to meet the new love of his life, Jeanne, while on a rafting trip down the American River, to whom he has now been married to for over 37 years. Together, Mike and Jeanne have a lovely daughter, Nicole who is now teaching in an elementary school in Sacramento, California.

After his hitch in the Air Force, Mike attended formal art classes at American River College in Sacramento, California. This was very long time ago now, and Mike is still on his journey of capturing flashes in life. Ever striving to help us all remember those special times in our lives.