Even as a toddler, Michael Wilson was fascinated with his imagination. Along the side of his Pasadena home, Michael would play with dinosaur figurines, sculpting caves and mountains for them to explore, out of the dirt and mud surrounding his mother's geraniums. Growing up, he played the role of storyteller amongst his friends, creating games for them to play and worlds for them to imagine.Drawing was the major mode for Michael's imagination. During junior high and high school, Michael would illustrate his own stories making several comics, drawing inspiration form the likes of Todd McFarlane and Jae Lee. At this time Michael was studying martial arts under Richard Triplet. His training in Karate taught Michael the discipline and strong work ethic that would become his hallmark.
Teaching and giving back to his community is another passion for Michael. After high school he began humanitarian work with Habitat for Humanity and volunteer work for Challenger Memorial Youth Center, teaching illiterate inmates how to read. After two years teaching for the CARES program with the City of Lancaster, he began to feel dissatisfied. Although he was happy being a teacher, something was missing. At that time, Michael happened to take a a life drawing class that rekindled his creative desires. He still needed to create and express himself.
Continuing to take art classes, he eventually decided to forgo teaching, hoping instead to become an artist. In December of 2002 Michael was accepted into the Illustration program at the Art Center College of Design. For nearly four years Michael worked tirelessly, gaining all the skills required to be a fantastic Illustrator. He even took classes outside of the Art Center at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects and the atelier Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art. After graduating from the Art Center Michael went on to work as a freelance illustrator and concept artist for such entertainment companies as Mun2 and Nonexistant Films.
If you would like to contact Michael for work or just to say "hello", you can reach him at mail@jmichaelwilson.com