ABOUT THE ARTIST
An artist who grew up in central NH, Michael lives-- and creates art-- in a cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee with his wife and his cat.
When he was a child, Michael's mother believed that it was better to give him blank paper and crayons instead of coloring books; this gave him the opportunity to be creative instead of just following the "rules" of coloring within the lines. That was a huge boon, as it forced him to rely on his own imagination. The significance of her choice to foster creativity in that way cannot be overstated.
After decades of creating art as a hobby while he held down "real jobs", Michael finally made the decision in 2018 to follow his dream of becoming a full-time artist and making his living by making art.
​
With his wife's full support, he set up a home studio and launched Michael Sean Piper's MSP Designs. Sadly, between the pandemic and several years of providing care for aging family members, that dream had to be put on hold; but look out, world-- he's back slingin' pens and paint like there's no tomorrow!
​
Primarily self-taught, Michael works in various media and styles, including but never limited to pen and ink, watercolor, alcohol marker, oil pastel, Sharpie sketches on napkins during meals out at local eateries, and-- his personal favorite-- cartooning. As he puts it, "I have a flair for the pen, and I sometimes even draw with one."
​"My choice of medium is really about what strikes me at any given moment. I'll get a picture in my head and see it in a particular style or color, so I'll seek out the media that will best represent my vision. Other times-- especially with my intuitive pastel work-- I tend to let the moment take me, and the result is more spontaneous. The colors and patterns are often representative of my emotions during the creation of the piece."
His art has been featured in local galleries, boutiques, and coffeehouses; he has designed beer can labels for a local brewery**; and his isometric maps were included in a 5E / DCC RPG Boxed Set entitled, Tournament of Pigs***. Original pieces, prints, cards, and other good stuff can also be purchased directly from the artist or through the online shop.
He has participated in numerous incarnations of the "TwinGeekz Artz Project"-- a creative endeavor of which he is a founding member-- in which participants create a piece of art a week in their chosen medium over the course of a year.* He also undertook and completed a solo creative project called "The Art Scroll", a 56-foot long drawing created entirely in Sharpie over a four-year span.
*For more about the TwinGeekz Artz Project,
please visit www.twingeekz.com/origins_of_tgap.htm
or check out the TwinGeekz Facebook page.
** Follow The Last Chair Brewery on Facebook or visit their website at www.thelastchairnh.com
to check out some pics of the beer can labels featuring Michael's art.
***Visit the Tournament of Pigs page on Kickstarter to see Michael's maps featured in the description,
right alongside art from one of his D&D idols, Russ Nicholson, and many other fantastic artists.
You can click to order your own copy of Tournament of Pigs and be redirected to the Weird Works website,
where the boxed set and other great products are currently available.
​