Visions and Voices

A Brief Biography of Artist Michael S. Shipman

Artist Michael S. Shipman, a native of Tucson, recently graduated from the University of Arizona with honors in Computer Science. He worked as an intern for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and for the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. After graduation his lifelong passion for art overcame him, and he is currently pursuing his dream as an artist.  Michael realized his artistic ability at an early age and has received numerous awards for his work. He has been studying with several local artists, particularly with Don Crowley since his undergraduate years.

Michael is known for his sensitive portrait drawings. He communicates the likeness of an individual by capturing the essential facial features and by bringing out the subject's personality and characteristics. In his drawings and paintings, Michael uses graphite, charcoal, pastel, gouache, acrylic, and oil. He also draws animals and a variety of other subjects, and accepts commissions.

Michael is well versed in all types of artistic expression.  He studies past and contemporary artists to develop further understanding and new ideas for his work. Drawings and paintings of the 19th and early 20th century German masters such as Wilhelm Leibl, Franz von Lenbach, Franz von Defregger, and Adolph Menzel are important influences in his work.

With his current project at the Arizona State Museum, Michael considers it to be his most challenging and rewarding task to truthfully portray American Indians. He has a thought-out vision of the visual and conceptual unity of this project and aspires to achieve the appropriate variation within this unity.