Bay Area artist Michael Page (mentioned previously) was kind enough to take time out from his busy schedule and do a quick interview with me. I wanted to know more about the man behind the monsters, because I think that getting to know the artist is usually the best insight into their work. So kick back with a cold one on this find Wednesday morning and enjoy a little peek into the life of Michael Page.

1. Age/Location/Art Education?
I’m 28 years old and currently live in San Francisco, California with my wife Kristen. I lived in Florence, Italy, a short time and attended an art school there for a semester.

2. What brought you to (or keeps you in) the Bay Area?
I came to San Francisco about six years ago to get out of Orange County and my brother was here and he offered up a closet for me to live in. As time went on it just started feeling like home. What keeps me here is I can look outside and see life going on. People working on their lives and having an amazing time and experience doing it. It’s just a great city and seems harder and harder to ever want to leave.

3. Where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from all over the place. My Wife, family, all of my friends and the “Oyster Pirates”. (A group of friends who all collaborate paintings in the city.) I also love going to the mountains and lakes around the bay area, all that non-man made nature is very inspiring.

4. What’s the origin of your style?
It seems like there are so many names for the different types of art going on now a days and throughout time. I really never have tried to say my work is lumped into one category or another but I would lean towards the more surrealism/pop side.

5. Can you explain some of the common themes in your work and the symbolism used to express them?
A lot of common themes in my work are mythical beasts taking over lands and the people are fighting back. The beasts are used for present and past hooligans that have ruled our world and make it a horrible place at times. The people are man from all times.

6. What goes on in a normal day for you?
My usual day is….wake up in the a.m. bug my wife, eat some food/check e-mails then I’m off to my studio. I ride my bike (around two miles). I usually try and start painting around ten and that usually takes all day. Lately I have not been leaving my studio during the day so I am afraid of becoming a hermit. I do get the occasional visitor though, which is always nice and breaks up the day. I then ride home make and eat dinner with my wife. I pretty much keep with that schedule; lately it has been helping me with my work. Though every few days I will meet up with a few friends for some pool and metal at a local bar in the evenings.

7. What occupies your mind aside from art?
My wife does a pretty good job at keeping my mind occupied away from work. Though my work never really leaves my thoughts. There is always something to be done and always ways to improve. It’s not like I am able to get home and have some sort of different life, everything just ends up becoming one continues body of work.

8. What are you working on now? Any shows coming up?
I do have a few paintings I am currently working on right now. I am enjoying the old days of our land in these new works. They are going towards a show I am in in August at Copro Nason. I also have a few group shows down in L.A. and in San Francisco that I am currently working on as well for this summer.

9. This one is just because I like food. What are your top five foods and where do you get them?

1. Favorite food, Little Star Pizza 15th and Valencia. Best pizza in the world (I know, bold statement but true)[ed.: he ain’t lyin’].
2. Dosa (South Indian Cuisine) amazing Indian food. 21st and Valencia.
3. Toast, very good hangover breakfast, 30th and Church.
4. Sandwich shop. Small sandwich place by my studio. 16th and Mission.
5. Would be my wife’s Mexican food. Just Amazing.

10. Sketch something for us really quickly, whatever comes to mind first, then scan it or take a photo, so we can see your raw style.
Click the image for larger version.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 at 9:14 am and is filed under Art, Interviews, Painting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.