We were lucky to catch up with Michael Markham recently and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

From my earliest childhood I knew I wanted to be an artist. There was influence and inspiration all around me growing up in an era of prolific pop culture. From comic books to Atari, and all the films and cartoons I had ingested as a kid there was never a lack of creativity for me. In fact, my earliest ambition as an artist was to become an illustrator for Marvel. It was later in school that I started to discover and find influence from some of the master works of the renaissance and the Neo-classical period, among others.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Markham’s work is an embodiment of the independent artistic spirit that intuitively expresses dark overtones of monsters and uncertainty by taking a surrealist view to explore subjects that many shy away from. An artist and musician from Detroit, Markham shows us the beautiful ugly side of life that has no boundaries. Ranging from deranged figures to iconic musicians portraying real-life human emotions Markham shows us the beautiful ugly side of life that has no boundaries. Fueling his independent spirit are the masterful works of Dali, Davinci and H.R. Geiger, resulting in the stylistic changes he often makes on canvas. No matter how you view his work, a piece by Markham is sure to be a visual pleasure.

Markham’s rich musical background as a drummer and vocalist in Detroit bands enables authentic, introspective curiosity about his famous subjects. He’s recently indulged in montages of the Beatles and iconic Motown personalities. One recent original, “Didn’t Know What I Would Find There”, is a dreamy trip, with two images of a contrasting, yet pensive McCartney in a Beatles ’65-ish look juxtaposed to a Sgt. Pepper’s-era visage. The impact is startling; we get a chance to contemplate what McCartney toyed with way back then.

Michael Markham is a highly acclaimed artist renowned for his captivating murals and paintings. With a keen eye for detail and a profound understanding of color and composition, Markham’s creations evoke a sense of wonder and transport viewers to captivating worlds of artistic beauty. His work has graced numerous galleries, public spaces, and private collections around the world along with his published works in multiple national publications including The Finger Mag, Propulsion Magazine, Studio Visit Magazine, and Ink and Voices.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I think the journey of an artist is all about resilience. With rejection being a majority and the norm, as an artist you have to continue moving forward and persevering. That wouldn’t come, however, without a belief in yourself and the relevance behind the work you do. If there is a unique message in your vision that creates a deeper connection to your audience, then what you’re doing is worthwhile, whether a majority of critics, gallery owners, or collectors see that in your work or not.

When I exhibited in Venice, Italy it took me a total of 18 hours to finally get to a room after the one I booked had been damaged. By then I was so exhausted that I was ready to just lay there in the street, but I pushed on until I was finally able to lay in a real bed. All of this suffering, mainly circumstantial, all for the sake of art and sticking to one’s own career as an artist. My dedication to my work is what manifests my resilience.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I knew the benefits of gallery representation early in my career. I’ve found that even with the internet and sales through social media, etc., that gallery representation is still one of the most important and helpful aspects of an artists career.

Another thing I wish I knew early on was how to contact licensing and other art distributors directly to have your work considered. With the internet that information is now more readily available, often found in databases catalogued online.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://markhamartist1.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markhamartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkhamArtist
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/markhamartist
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/radarmedia
• Other: opensea.io/markham_artist moaningdwarf.bandcamp.com sweetkelly.bandcamp.com alieninquisition.bandcamp.com radarmedia.bandcamp.com