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Text Box: Michael Harris is an oil painter, song-writer and world traveller from Toronto. He is self-taught, having never sought out formal training in art. Michael briefly studied graphic design in college following high school, but left after a few months to backpack through Europe. Seven months of immersing himself in the galleries and culture of Europe at 19 was followed by a year of travel in Australia at 21. At 24, to mark his transition to the ranks of professional artist, Michael took his paints and palette on his year long "trip around the world" - painting his way through Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, Nepal, India, Greece, Turkey and the UK. Between trips, Michael honed his skills as a working artist; doing everything from painting reproductions for an international art company, to illustration, to portraiture and other private commissions. Michael has spent years developing and evolving his approach to painting in oils. The focus of his current work is his enigmatic and provocative figure paintings which includes his "black and white" series and series of multiple figures climbing and flowing over one another. Michael's work is deeply influenced by his interest in psychology, consciousness studies, politics, and the Integral philosophy of Ken Wilber. Michael is represented in Toronto by: Gallery 133, Art Interiors, Rouge Concept Gallery . In Ottawa by Terrance Robert Gallery. In Melbourne Australia by Jackman Gallery. "In an era when so much of human experience and interaction is mediated by impersonal electronic technologies, the hands-on physicality of a great painting can be really refreshing and impressive. It's the "I can't believe someone made this-ness" of it. Perhaps because of this, the 21st century will see a renewed interest and demand for magnificent works of art."