Please critique this artist statement for me. It is the first one I have written,
and I am not really sure how to go about it.

You can also see my website at michaeljohngallery.com [link]


Michael John's Artist Statement

Talents:
Michael John started his interest in art as a child
and young adult with drawing and pen & ink.
He later discovered painting as he
studied under the great American Landscape
Artist, Ed Kellogg.
In the last few years Michael developed his skills in
Air Brush, metal work and textiles.

Now, because of the overwhelming support of his
family, friends, and peers in the art community
Michael has finally plunged into a career as a
photographer. For the last six years has been
quietly developing his craft and material as a
photographer. With his training as a painter to
guide him, Michael brings to life stunning images of
the natural beauty of his beloved Gulf Coast.
In his first public display of his photograph this
summer Michael unveils for you the richness of his
experience above and below the waters of the Gulf
of Mexico.
Michael also often adds another dimension to his
pictures by including the people, animals, and
stories behind his images.
Michael is a member of the Arts and Design Society
of Okaloosa County (ADSO), The Atrel Gallery of
Pensacola Florida, and The DeviantArt Community.
Michael has won several art awards in drawing,
painting, and sculpture over the years and done
free lance art for printers and periodicals
(the latest being the local Audubon Society's news
letter) and Michael has sold his art on-line, at festivals,
and through local galleries.


Biography Information:
Michael John Cheney is a native of the Gulf Coast.
Michael was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, September
30, 1955. He attended Fort Walton Beach and
Eliot's Point Elementary Schools, Meigs Middle
School, and graduated with Honors from
Choctahatchee High School in 1974. Michael
attended OWC and then moved on to graduate
with Honors from Covenant College, Lookout
Mountain, Tennessee, with a BA in Interdisciplinary
Studies: Biology, Bible, and Education. After
graduation Michael married his sweet heart, Phyllis
Early of Valparaiso, Florida, in 1982 and started his
teaching career as the middle and high school
science instructor for Rocky Bayou Christian
School/Academy. After six years at RBCS Michael
began teaching for the Okaloosa School District,
first as horticulture Instructor and then as a high
school science teacher.
Currently Michael is a member of the American
Chemical Society, listed in the Who's Who of
American Science Teachers, and a College Board
approved AP Chemistry instructor at Crestview
High School where he has been teaching for the
last 17 years.

Now Michael is launching an exciting career as a
premier Gulf Coast Photographer.

Inspite of all the committee recommendations , emails, news paper articles, student, staff, and community opinion to the contrary. Crestview High Administraion went ahead with their plan to paint over all the murals at CHS, with the exception of a four that they are going to wipe out one a year for the next four years. For those interested I will keep adding news on the fate of these last four (one of them is my, "Safe Harbor") on my website: [link] My hope is of course that the Administration will have a change of heart about these last four. There is over 300,000 square Feet of blank walls now at CHS. Why do these murals have to be painted over with new murals? There is plenty of wall space to paint new murals on. What does the freshman class want to do?

See the latest news article and video at
[link]

Thank you for all of your help. I know that under normal circumstances your work on behalf of the murals would have saved them, but obviously we were working against some very determined people, how did not care what anyone else thinks.

Some people are just "RC" (Resistant to Changing their minds) even though their decission is clearly unpopular. I am sure that they were not expecting so much response to painting over these murals, but the murals had been a part of the school for such a long time. They represented a lot of pride and ownership in the school, thousands of hours of labor and talent, and were loved by almost everyone (with a few powerful exceptions, obviously) that ever attended CHS.

Thank you again for your support during this trying time.
I will never forget you.
Michael

[link]

They Are painting over the murals now.

See news article and video at
[link]

See Mr. Coleman's email and committee's recommendation at and his response at [link]

Maybe if Mr. Coleman, the other Principals at Crestview High School, the Okaloosa County School Board, the Superintedent, and the media heard from enough people that believed that art and history have value they would change their minds.

Please call and email them. I have done all I can do.

Crestview High Schools Administration Page is:
[link]

The School Boards webpage is:
[link]

The Superintendent's webpage is:
[link]

North West Florida Daily News Opinion Page:
[link]

Channel 3 News Reporter Erin Ovalle who covered the mural story:
[link]

If you want to help please do so now before all the murals are gone.

Mike

Mike's best mural, "Safe Harbor" is about to be painted over by my new principal, Ed Coleman.

Please help me save my painting.

The new Principal at Crestview High School, Ed Coleman, wants to paint over this mural that I did ten years ago.

This is the nicest painting I ever did, and it is tearing my heart out just thinking of it getting painted over along with the other 44 murals at Crestview High School, just for the sake of make the school uniform, red and white.

I talked to him a couple of times, to at least spare some of the better ones, but he was unmoved. He let me form a committee to advise him. We met Monday the 14th and voted. Our Committee recommended to save many (26 out of 44) of the good ones, but he indicated that he was going to save maybe four.

You can see more of them at the schools website: [link]

You can also see the latest news at my website:
[link]

Today there was a front page article about our struggle. [link]

I am still looking for more support. Maybe if Mr. Coleman, the other Principals at Crestview High School, the Okaloosa County School Board, and the Superintednt heard from enough people that believed that art and history have value they would change their minds.

Please email them.

Crestview High Schools Administration Page is:
[link]

The School Boards webpage is:
[link]

The Superintendent's webpage is:
[link]

If you want to help please do so now.

They are already painting the walls.

Monday, May 28th they will start painting over the first mural.

DA community to the rescue!!


Michael John Cheney
Fort Walton Beach, FL

850-862-0556
Cell 850-685-5369

PS
Does anyone know Darrell Davis, CHS class of 1997 who worked with me on the mural

I know he would help if I could find him.
I know after High School he got an Art Scholarship and moved to south Florida, but I haven't heard from him since.


PSS
I tried to get Wyland's help, though his website, but I haven't gotten any answer.

It seems Wyland would be especially sensative to having murals of Orcas painted over for no good reason. I am sure he has had similar problems himself.

Can anyone tell him about my struggle to save these Orcas?

He could be of great help.

Unplugging for School

School has started for me again and that means that I have to put my photography, art, and DA on the back burner for another academic year.

During the holidays I will of course be back, but for the most part I will be unplugged from DA. I know many other people work and stay plugged in, but I find that my heavy homework and study load only allows me to do one or the other well. Since I get paid for teaching and have many young minds dependent on me keeping fresh, I have to take my leave of you'all for a while.

Won't be answering your comments or Faves, please understand.

Neither do I expect to be doing any new posts.

Thanks for all of the support and friendships.

Will miss you all.

See you Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Below is a sampling from my gallery.

Thanks for the views





Hope you enjoied the show