ABOUT MICHAEL
I have been a photographer, a cook, a fisherman, a wanderer and a wonderer. I have traveled the country by car, train, motorcycle and bicycle living in many states along the way. As a child growing up in an Italian American household, I was constantly surrounded by and fascinated by food. During that time if I was not in the kitchen, I could be found drawing or creating something. After graduating college with a BFA in photography, I then worked in the restaurant industry for the following ten years. As I moved from state to state I also moved from waiter to bartender to sommelier to cook and finally pastry chef. My interest in wine led me to work harvest at Chehalem Winery in 2007 where I promptly fell in love with the Willamette Valley and Portland. After a few more years of travel and adventure, I chose to return to Portland to attend the Oregon College of Art and Craft where I earned my Post Baccalaureate Certificate. In ceramics I have found a medium where all my worlds converge. It is my aim to create soulful and functional wares that feel great to use while being beautiful to look at.
