I'm a Real Published Author!

We were approached last year with a request to write an article for Mackinac Living, an annual magazine that focuses on the Island.

The article is about Bill Murcko, an incredible portrait artist, check out some of his work:

Here's Bill's artist statement, from his website:

"For the past 40 years I have focused my creative energy on making money for clients. Being the Creative Leader for my own advertising agency provided invaluable experience on delivering breakthrough ideas that sell.It would have been easy to find a comfortable chair and sleep my way into a long and uneventful retirement. That wasn't for me. I've seen too many people live life without pursuing their dreams. My dream is to become one of the greatest portrait painters ever.I believe great art comes from deep inside the artist. Similar to my favorite artist, John Singer Sargent, I work to capture both the uniqueness and personality of the subject. For me it starts with the eyes. Thoreau said, "the eye is the jewel of the body." I couldn't agree more. The eyes express emotion, experience and individuality of the subject and set the tone for the entire painting.After studying with some phenomenal portraits artists including John Howard Sanden, Nelson Shank and Tony Rider, it's my time to develop my craft and join the ranks of today's premier portrait painters."

Writing the article was an interesting experience, I've done much research and writing on historic subjects and people, but this was the first time I had the opportunity to interview a living person; it was a little nerve wracking knowing he would be reading my interpretation of our conversation! We also had the chance to tour his lovely cottage and studio on the East Bluff.

Bill shows and sells his Island related work, both portraits and landscapes at Victorian Summer, here on Mackinac Island.