Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Barton.
Michael, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began my journey through the humanities by studying music when I was 4. I played piano poorly and progressed from there, receiving my Master of Music from the University of North Texas in 2000 playing the upright bass. After a stint as a full-time musician, I was drawn to portraits of musicians and the culture around it.
In 2002, I was given my first camera and was hooked. My photography career started out by photographing musicians and family portraits. At the time, the demand for my photography outgrew that of my bass playing and the paychecks outgrew that of a freelance musician. Although I never fully walked away from music, my photography career took off.
In 2006 I opened my first photography studio in Batavia, Illinois where I remained for 7 years before moving to another space 2 blocks away. While running my studio, my reputation grew outside of the area and my career further expanded to speaking and photography outside of the Chicago area. Photography is an ever-changing industry and my interests too are ever-changing.
From the beginning of my photography career, I have been printing my own work on unique papers as it allows me to expand my creative vision beyond that of conventional presentations. This process led me to a fascination with woodworking as it is a natural extension of what I am expressing in the visual arts. Much of my current work is created using ordinary materials such as plywood, spray paint, fire, rusty nails and 2×4’s.
Three years ago, my love of music and my love of the visual arts merged, and I began to build electric basses. These basses are created from logs, scrap wood and other materials that tell a unique story. Each is made by hand and has a personality of its own. Given that it is a newer endeavor, my venture as a luthier is an evolving process.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My career has always been the result of an organic process. Opportunities tend to present themselves when they are needed and solutions are usually not far away. This is not to say that it is apparent at the time and this requires a good amount of faith in order to maintain sanity.
Unfortunately, my creative vision often surpasses my faith and that can lead to a good amount of frustration and internal friction. It is also difficult to maintain financial stability with so many technological advances and expanding interests. This means that it is often difficult to explain what I actually do for a living.
Accepting that I may never be rich or that financial volatility is part of the creative process, I will concede that I have a good life, and being able to create is something that most people are never able to pursue.
Michael Barton Art – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a visual artist, educator and instrument builder. I specialize in being myself and take pride in being thorough and meticulous in everything that I do and create. I am known for my photography and mixed media art pieces above all. My images have been featured in numerous publications and have also won awards at the international level.
Part of my business also involves teaching workshops, speaking at events and giving private photograph instruction. My mixed media pieces combine my passion for photography with my love of woodworking. These pieces are creating from ordinary materials that can be found in most houses, including plywood, 2x4s, spray paint, fire and even rusty nails.
My newest venture of bass and guitar building something that is evolving and there are many ideas that will be coming to life soon. What sets me apart is my unwillingness to put my name on anything that isn’t up to my high standards. My commitment to education means that I am not only willing to share my knowledge, I am also committed to being a lifelong student myself.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career was when I walked away from an expanding business outside of the Chicago area in order to be a better father. When my daughter was 5 she told me that I wasn’t home enough and that she missed me.
From that moment, I decided that my business model had to change. Many people say that family comes first, I am not perfect, but I try to live by that. It has cost me many business opportunities, and I’m proud to have the strength to let that happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: michaelbartonart.com – michaelbartonmusic.com – michaelbartoneducation.com
- Email: info@michaelbartonart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stanleythebass/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.barton.543
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MBartonArt
Image Credit:
Dawn Muncy
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
