Rounding off my series of articles on the artists who have kindly provided artwork for www.lastoftheliving.net, is this piece on MICHAEL DICK. Michael contributed a lot of art for the launch of the site back in 2010, providing several illustrations for the short story HOME, the opening scenes of AUTUMN, and AUTUMN: PURIFICATION. I was keen to have a range of different styles on the AUTUMN site, and Michael’s drawings fitted the bill.
Click the link to read more about Michael and to see some of the other images he contributed.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Michael currently lives with his family in Virginia. After studying Visual Communications and Illustration and working in the industry for some time, he was forced to change direction when he moved. He took a job as a car salesman which, in his words, gave him “plenty of down time which let me start dabbling in the writing field.”
He describes himself as a spontaneous artist, who takes inspiration from the moment. “I find a great Rockabilly/Psychobilly song gets me in just the right mood… blood pumpin’, brain swelling, and the lyrics are incredible. There’s nothing like a Meteors’ song or a Demented Are Go song to get the old grey matter working again.”
Michael’s style varies, and he likes to throw in the occasional unexpected extra (like the Hater references in the HOME pictures above and below). “I might throw an illustration together that looks like a Picasso with a Bart Simpson thrown in just for the fun of it. Since I got away from the art field as a job I tend to draw whatever it is I feel like at the time. One day it might be designing skateboards, the next, gas tanks on motorcycles. You just never know.”
Since contributing to www.lastoftheliving.net, Michael’s had some success with his own writing. He currently has five shorts in print with another four accepted. He’s currently working on his first novella which should see the light of day in the near future. You can read his fiction in several anthologies (click here for a list) or click here to visit his website.
Sincere thanks to Michael for his contribution to www.lastoftheliving.net. I wish him every success in the future.