Michael Lynch

Born in rural central Nebraska, I was raised in small towns across Iowa. Growing up, all I did was draw. At the age of nine, I began doing weekly political cartoons in area newspapers. My work was featured on two nationally syndicated television programs and the Des Moines Register. Throughout my childhood, I earned a number of awards for my artwork. I went on to college in Missouri to study art. After receiving a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, I earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Painting at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. During this time I also began to play guitar and write poems. After college, I began to play in a band Hanna's Porch. With a name based on the ironies of the 1896 U.S. Presidential election, the music of Hanna's Porch used images and musical arrangements which seemed indicative of the American Midwest. Hanna's Porch also appeared on the same bill with artists including 311, Gin Blossoms, the Cranberries, Conor Oberst, and the Violent Femmes. Much of my work has been based on a general interest in Americana. American history, myths and legends have always fascinated me. These interests led me to investigate traditional and folk art, roots music, and writing. By focusing on traditional art forms, my work addresses the passage of time, correlating the past with the present. Generally, my work is a synthetic process, combining references to old standards in art history, music and poetry, along with my own experiences, memories, and dreams. My work is usually situated in Midwest surroundings. Attempting to depict an American genre, I draw from all of these sources to create a fusion of ideas. With art, music and writing I would like to address the weird and curious aspects of American living. Through my work, I hope to provide that oddness. For the past few years, I have been Art Department Head at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska. Besides art, I continue to write poetry and music, and play harmonica and guitar. I share my interests with my wife Melanie and our dog Henry.