Artist Bio
Artistic talent is an innate gift from God. Sure, techniques can be taught and refined, but the best of art comes from the heart of those born out of an innocent destiny to be artists. So it is with Michael Schieffer who at the age of two, asked his mom to draw a bunny. Her stick figure frustrated him so she gave him the pencil and said, “Draw a better one.” It was a magnificent bunny and he never stopped drawing since. His preschool teachers tucked away much of his art hoping for a future reward from his inevitable fame. Throughout his academic years, he managed to receive extra credit by somehow incorporating an artistic displain rudimentary assignments.
In high school graphic design intrigued Michael even though he really didn’t care for technology. His raw talent transferred to freelance opportunities, including all of the product designs and collateral for Butthead Covers, Inc. – over 120 depictions of upside down animal, novelty and corporate golf club head covers. The company won best new product award at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando and was sold after five years of operations. It never would have evolved into a business if not for Mike’s passionate development of the many styles. His portfolio now includes magazine cover designs for the English Journal and the illustrations of two books to date, Todd the Frog and The History of Lake Tuscarora. His commissioned series of Wizard of Oz paintings adorned the walls of Ossie’s restaurant until it sadly closed. Having earned his Graphic Arts Degree, all of his paid work has been by happenstance of filling a need for an acquaintance and networking as freelancers do. In his young career he has created logos, cards, flyers and websites. He has painted wall murals in the Arizona summer heat for sports courts, golfing dogs behind a putting green and pool backdrop aquarium scenes that could rival Wyland.
In 2012, he was asked to create a horse sculpture. It would be his first experience sculpting. Always an illustrator first, the medium just never was a consideration. He had admired bronze and metal installations along the way but found no inspiration to mirror these techniques. Originality has always been an imperative motivating factor for his work. The trimmings of palm trees had caught his eye for some time, begging to be repurposed. The curvature, shaded coloring and frayed aspect allured his creative thinking and gave birth to the first of his professional palm horse sculptures. The beautiful beast, “A Horse with no Name” is larger than life looking up to the sky with a regal pose that took the breath away of the collector and astounds all who glimpsed a view. Right away he secured more clippings by knocking on doors and offering free trims explaining that he is a sculptor and these are his materials. He tediously sealed each skin and the framework components for the next horse and then the next. Through the years he had drawn and painted many horses, appreciating the musculature physique, but this experience became his passionate pursuit – creating the world’s herd of palm horses. The natural shapes are fit like puzzle pieces, integrity intact just as the innocence of the newborn artist.