Michael grew up in Southern California. From an early age he was interested in art. Later as a teenager, surfing & the surf culture inspired him to create t-shirt illustrations & other designs for various local surf companies.
In 2000 he moved to Logan, Utah for school and to sample Northern Utah powder. He was sure he would move back to California to be close to the ocean after school. But, by the time he graduated from USU in 2004 with a B.F.A. he had fallen in love with the beauty of the local mountains. Along with this came a passion for outdoor recreation in the form of rock climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking & almost anything else that provides adventure in the great outdoors.