Mike is an ardent admirer of grid systems, dry erase markers, and vintage hot rods. Since an early age he has worked diligently in sketchbooks as a means of exploring ideas and telling stories.
Mike sees sketching, whether on the surface of a sheet of paper or the screen of a tablet, as a fundamental activity within the design process.
Prior to joining MAYA, Mike was pursuing his Master’s in Design at IIT’s Institute of Design. There, he directed his lifelong love for drawing into his master’s thesis, which focused on developing a better understanding of the role of drawing and sketching within the process of design.
Professionally, Mike has worked for Art & Anthropology as a Senior Designer where he developed the identity systems and communications materials for arts and non-profit organizations. Before joining A&A, he worked for Hugh Dubberly at the Dubberly Design Office, where he first discovered a love for understanding and communicating complex systems clearly.
Mike has taught in Denver and Chicago at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and is currently developing sketching course for graduate students. He holds a BFA in Design from the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, and will complete his MDes at IIT’s Institute of Design in May 2011.