ABOUT

MY REFUGE IN ART

From a young age, art became my sanctuary. Life could feel overwhelming. My father, at times fueled by alcohol, could be very angry, and my older sister, who had endured extreme abuse as a child, carried pain and trauma that she didn’t yet have the tools to process. I didn’t know the reasons behind her intense mood swings or the anger she sometimes directed at me, and as a result, I bore the brunt of it. It was confusing, painful, and isolating—but art became my refuge.

In my early twenties, after being severely affected by depo-provera birth control injections that left me in pain, exhaustion, and diagnosed with everything from "incurable" Fibromyalgia to what I was told were bouts with bell's palsy, creating became even more essential. I drew obsessively, finding comfort and escape in intricate black-and-white compositions and meticulous circle drawings. Each line, each repeating pattern, was a rhythm that quieted the chaos—a meditation that carried me through migraines, panic, and the unrelenting stress of life. What might feel overwhelming or dizzying to others was my relief, my safe space, and my ritual.

Even now, in times of tension or overwhelm, you’ll often find me doodling—sometimes without even realizing it. Anything within reach—a paper plate, napkin, old envelope, piece of cardboard—becomes a canvas for what I now call a Keck doodle. It is more than drawing; it is meditation, escape, and creation all at once. Art has carried me from childhood to adulthood, transforming stress, pain, and the confusion of life into something tangible, intricate, and profoundly mine.

THE UNCONVENTIONAL PATH

I began creating art full-time in early 2003 after reversing serious health challenges through a 100% raw/living foods diet. Sharing my healing journey online led to an unconventional beginning: encouragement from another artist to sell my work independently on eBay.  Artist Sarah Kiser was already selling her works on eBay and after she saw my art she encouraged me to start selling their also.  Had it not been for the encouragement of Sarah, I may not be writing this right now.

Without any gallery representation, agents, or intermediaries, that first step quickly expanded into a global audience for me. By deliberately eschewing the traditional gallery system and representing myself, I built a direct-to-collector model at a time when selling fine art online was considered radical—if not impossible.

In a remarkably short period of time, I achieved milestones rarely seen for a self-taught, self-representing artist at that time. I became a Platinum PowerSeller on eBay, and between the periods of 2003 to 2006 had sold over 1,500 original paintings to collectors throughout the United States, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, Chile, France, Italy, Austria, Portugal, Greece, Norway, Malta, Puerto Rico, and the United Arab Emirates.

Today, my originals and fine art prints are held in well over 5,000 private & corporate collections across more than 40 countries worldwide—all accomplished while remaining fully self-taught and self-representing.

INSPIRATION & INFLUENCES

I draw inspiration from nature, personal life experiences, music, my studies on heart/brain coherence and my Christian faith. 

After the passing of my grandmother, the integration of scripture and symbolic cross elements became a defining theme in many of my works, and still is a central theme in many of works still today.

I am deeply fascinated by heart–brain coherence and any teachings on this subject.  Research from institutions such as the HeartMath Institute shows that when people generate sincere emotions like love, gratitude, or compassion, heart rhythms become smooth and synchronized with brain activity, improving clarity, emotional stability, and resilience.  My study and research into this topic is what inspired my one-of-a-kind, mixed media heart assemblages.

THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY VISION

I am a multidisciplinary artist, creating my visions through paintings, mixed-media collage, drawings,  found-object assemblages, and sculpture. I make abstract paintings that I call my energy paintings, driven by the rhythms and sensations I feel as I create. I am an obsessive doodler, visible in my circle drawings, and I am deeply passionate about crafting collages and constructing assemblages and sculptures from objects that carry their own histories and energies.

While it may be unconventional in the art world to work across so many different mediums and styles, I don’t care—I am comfortable here. I refuse to be pigeonholed or told that I must always produce cohesive bodies of work. My life is not linear, and my art reflects that freedom and curiosity. One day I may feel compelled to sculpt an animal, the next to paint an expressive abstract embedded with scripture, and the next to sift endlessly through piles of found objects and discarded treasures to assemble something that feels called to tell a story. I make no apologies for this. My art is as alive, restless, and expansive as I am, and it follows the paths that feel true to my heart.

INTUITIVE CREATION

Most of my work is born from pure intuition. For as long as I can remember, I would enter a different state while creating—completely absorbed, deeply focused, and disconnected from the distractions of the outside world. I didn’t know at the time about heart–brain coherence; I just knew I was creating from a true internal source. In that state, I felt guided, instinctual, and fully alive, and I knew that my most important and best works always emerged there.

Decades of meditation have since taught me how to enter this aligned state more intentionally, where heart and mind synchronize, rhythms flow, and my body moves with balance. When I discovered the research on heart–brain coherence, the work of the HeartMath Institute, and the writings on the intelligence of the heart, it all made perfect sense. That’s exactly where my art has always come from—instinctual, pure, and intuitive.

Creating in this state allows me to access a deeper form of intelligence and flow. Each piece—whether a heart assemblage, an abstract painting, or a collage—becomes a vessel for intention, energy, and connection, a tangible expression of the harmony I experience while fully immersed in the act of creation.

Creating art is a cathartic and deeply emotional process for me—an unpredictable journey of highs, lows, and transformation. Each piece captures the energy present in that moment, reflecting both my inner world and the pulse of the world around me. Through my work, I invite viewers into raw, unfiltered emotion—grounding them in the present and offering connection, release, and movement. My art celebrates change, resilience, and the power of letting go, and living in the moment.

ADVOCACY FOR ARTIST'S RIGHTS

I am passionate about defending creators’ rights. I know what it’s like to lose your work and your livelihood to art theft, and I use my voice to help other artists protect their creations and keep the art businesses they’ve built alive.   I have witnessed firsthand how independent creators are often treated differently than celebrities and large corporations. When my federally registered trademark was waived in court without my knowledge or authorization (full details here), it further solidified my commitment to speaking out, raising awareness, and pushing for fairness for independent creators in our court system.

EXHIBITIONS & COLLECTIONS

My work has been exhibited in London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Indianapolis, High Point, Pittsburgh, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, and Hong Kong. My art is held in both private and corporate collections, including actors such as Sigourney Weaver, who personally selected my pug collage for set dressing in a feature film, as well as professional athletes, restaurateurs, a prominent 2024 U.S. presidential candidate, and billionaire collector Chin H. Chu.

MY HOPE

If my art does anything at all, I hope it sparks a connection. I hope that when someone sees a piece—whether it’s a one-of-a-kind assemblage or a vibrant abstract—they pause, feel it in their heart, and think, “This belongs with me.” I truly believe that art finds its rightful home, and that each piece will end up where it’s meant to be. My deepest wish is that my work inspires curiosity, reflection, or joy, and touches the lives of the people who will treasure it most.

It is also my hope that independent creators can survive—and thrive—despite the massive wave of IP theft we face today, from unscrupulous individuals with complete disregard for the intellectual property rights of others, to the growing pressures of AI domination.  I hope to bring awareness to those who may not realize what independent artists endure and how vital it is to support the authentic, handmade, original work of creators. If you value art, if you value craftsmanship, the energy and intention behind each piece, I hope you seek out the source of the work, connect with the artists, and build relationships that honor their labor and vision. And if you cannot support them with a purchase, speak of them, share their work, and help their art be seen. Small acts of recognition ripple outward—they ensure that art made with heart, by independent hands, continues to exist in the world.

— Michel