Mike’s Art

Like most creatives, artistic impulses began at a very young age. Art was one of the few subjects I excelled at in school. Ha! Painting and sketching were one of my favorite activities as a kid. Fast forward to the early 2000’s, while working as a commercial painter, when I began bumping into interior decorators and eventually took interest in faux finishing. This led to an interest in refinishing antique furniture and eventually blossomed into other ventures. During a trip to Cabo San Lucas, mainly after visiting the small artists’ colony of Todos Santos, I was inspired to begin making wall crosses.

The cross is a universal symbol of sacrifice, symbolizing the intersection of Heaven and Earth, a Holy God and Sinful Man. Having always loved Mexican art, its colorful forms and religious sympathies, I began experimenting with different mediums, from salvage wood to bottle caps to corrugated metal. Eventually, I began selling at artswalks, holiday boutiques, craft events, and Day of the Dead venues. Along the way, I have attempted to integrate numerous design ideas into my crosses — nature, gothic, Day of the Dead, abstract, etc. — while retaining reverence for this iconic symbol.

More recently, I have begun experimenting with other mediums. Plaques, dioramas, shadowboxes, and 3D assemblage art using wood, clay, and assorted parts. I also enjoy repurposing wooden furniture in creative ways and creating bottle art using clay, ceramics, and various .

All of my art is handmade and original. I post a lot of my art-related projects on Instagram. You can follow me there. Don’t hesitate to contact me, I will be happy to answer all your questions. I will also consider customized crosses or skulls; if you like the look of one of my crosses but prefer a specific design, color, or size, just contact me we can discuss a custom made cross or a skull idea. You can also correspond with me via email at cirdog@yahoo.com. Below is a sampling of some of different pieces.