There's no way to share what Mike meant to me and the people who loved him. The early end of his life doesn't make sense in consideration of the artistic talent and human caring he brought to the world. What follows are snippets picked up from his house as we cleared it after his death.

Born in Milwaukee, January 26, 1957

at Rocky Point, Mexico

Mike at his first showing, Milwaukee, 1979

as Art Director, Milwaukee Boys' Club

Marrying Linn Billingsley at Grandpa's house, 1980

Barstool Antlers, Von Trier's, 1980

These were the old days. The good days.

The last time I visited was to see Mike's dead body. And yet, his spirit lingered. I heard him in the rattle of the studio fan, felt him in the backyard, spoke to him in the mortuary. How little we know of the lives around us.

Mike's studio

The last palette, Friday, March 14, 6:00PM

A last roll of film Mike left undeveloped contained all shots of his dogs.

A recent photo

Although written to a specific person, I found this excerpt Mike had copied from e.e. cummings. To me it captures Mike's devotion to art and apologetic ill-fit with the world.

If I have made,my lady intricate
imperfect various things chiefly which wrong
your eyes(frailer than most deep dreams are frail)
songs less firm than your body's whitest song
upon my mind - if i have failed to snare
the glance too shy - if through my singing slips
the very skilful strangeness of your smile
the keen primeval silence of your hair

-let the world say "his most wise music stole
nothing from Death" -

you only will create
(who are so perfectly alive)my shame:
lady through whose profound and fragile lips
the most sweet small clumsy feet of April came

into the ragged meadow of my soul.

from the collection is 5,
by e.e. cummings.