Michael Farmer is a visual artist that works in mixed media, collage, and oil paintings in Arizona. Inspired by history, religion, philosophy, and politics, creating conceptual contrasts and juxtaposition.
I work mainly in mixed media and collage in a number of independent art series with different modalities but many unifying themes. The subjects of my art is the intersections of politics, philosophy, and personal histories. My background in surrealism informs my use of the familiar to express the strange in my artwork. I will often use disparate elements to create conceptual contrasts and juxtapositions. I like to play with dichotomies and visual commentary to create works of art that challenge viewers to think about themselves and their relationship to the world around them. For me, good art is not just aesthetically pleasing but should transport the audience to another state of mind, a state of mind that goes beyond everyday experience and into realms of the unusual, the undiscovered, and the unexplainable.
Artist’s CV
Education
1999 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Media Arts, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Cum Laud
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Salvation in the Digital Age, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Mesa, AZ April-August
2023 Retrospectacle, OneOhOne Gallery, Mesa, AZ August
2022 Technology Will Save Us All, Alwun House, Phoenix, AZ June-July
2019 Reality and Other Illusions, Warehouse 1005, Phoenix, AZ September
2018 The Year on Canvas, Warehouse 1005, Phoenix, AZ September
2015 Solo Exhibition, PSA Art Awakenings, Phoenix, AZ March
Group Exhibitions
2025
Imprint, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD August - September
A Show of Resistance, 1st Gallery, Phoenix, AZ June-Aug
Made In America, Upstream Gallery, Scarsdale, NY June -July
Lion and the Lotus, Shoshoni Yoga Retreat, Rollinsville, CO May- September
Limited Palette, Fine Line Creative Arts Center, St Charles, IL February - March
2024
Print Exhibition, Xico, Phoenix, AZ November – January
Winter Exhibition, Arizona Artists' Guild, Phoenix, AZ Jurors - Carol Lei Bendell, David Knorr, and Hank Keneally November - December
Monsters Menagerie, Alwun House, Phoenix, AZ October
Out of the Box, Ludington Area Center for the Arts, Ludington, MI August
Southwest Surrealism, Yavapai Community College, Prescott, AZ. Juror – Amy Ernst June – July
Hot Topics, Ludington Area Center for the Arts, Ludington, MI March
Portrait Art Show, Grey Cube Gallery, World Wide Web January
Black and White, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA January
2023
Mystery, Magic, and the Macabre, Deines Cultural Center, Russell, KS October-November
Black and White, FOUND:RE Hotel/Gallery, Phoenix, AZ September-October
A Sense of Place, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, Augusta, GA September-October
Fifth Annual Juried Exhibition, Ida Herma Center, NJ July
Open Theme, Las Lagunas Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA July
Art on Paper, Circle Gallery, Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, MD, Juror: Joann Moser April
Surreal World, FOUND:RE Hotel/Gallery, Phoenix, AZ March-May
Abstract, Grey Cube Gallery, World Wide Web February
2022 Mesa Art League Show, Scottsdale Artists School, Scottsdale, AZ September
Everyday MEMEing, Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ August-September
Body of Work, Arizona Artist’s Guild, Phoenix, AZ April-May
Best Works, Howland Gallery, Phoenix, AZ March
2021
Digital, Collage, or Assemblage, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA November
Monsters Menagerie, Alwun House Gallery, Phoenix, AZ October
Icons, Las Laguna Gallery, World Wide Web September
Purely Abstract, Las Laguna Gallery, World Wide Web May
Black and White, Grey Cube Gallery, World Wide Web March
Artlink 21st Annual Juried Show, FOUND:RE Hotel/Gallery,
Phoenix, AZ Jurors: Julie Akerly, Antoinette Cauley, Tiffany Fairall,
Rafael Navarro, Mark Pomilio February–June
Exotic, Alwun House Gallery, Phoenix, AZ February-March
2020
Politically Charged, Blue Line Arts Gallery, Roseville, CA Juror: Kimberli Gant PhD October-November
Political Discord, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA October-November
Landscapes, Light Space Time Gallery, World Wide Web October
Landscapes, Grey Cube Gallery, World Wide Web October
Patterns, Light Space Time Gallery, World Wide Web, Juror: C. David Hoffman September
All Art Arizona, Art Intersection, Gilbert, AZ August-September
Art Show, Mesa Community College Art Gallery May
2019
It’s Still Political, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA November
Landscapes, Colors of Humanity Gallery, World Wide Web October
Art Show, Mesa Community College Art Gallery, Mesa, AZ Juror: Kara Roschi April
Elemental, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ April
Abstracts, Light Space Time Gallery, World Wide Web March
2018
Artists of Promise, Herberger Theater, Phoenix, AZ April
Art Show, Mesa Community College Art Gallery, Mesa, AZ Juror: Julio Cesar Morales April
2017
Suicide Awareness Black and Gray, Warehouse 1005, Phoenix, AZ September
Carrie Fisher/Leia, Warehouse 1005, Phoenix, AZ May
1998
Encroachment, Central Arts Collective, Tucson, AZ Spring
Awards and Memberships
Honorable Mention, Abstract Show, Grey Cube Gallery, 2023
Juror’s Award, Mesa Community College Show 2020
Juror’s Award, Mesa Community College Show 2019
Special Mention, Abstracts, Light Space Time 2019
Member Mesa Art League, Member Arizona Artist Guild