Michael J. Frey

Michael is an award-winning portrait painter who accepts commissions primarily in the Upper Midwest region. His work is found in private collections throughout the world, and locally each year at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, the Minnesota State Fair. His work explores the human emotional landscape in a decidedly modern approach in portraiture and figure work.

Originally from Butte, Mont., Michael relocated to Minnesota in 1981 where he trained as a classical realist painter through a four-year program at The Atelier in Minneapolis under the instruction of Dale Redpath and Cyd Wicker. He has also studied with Jeff Hurinenko of Hurinenko & Paquet Studios in St. Paul.

Michael selected the realist tradition because of his love of drawing and his desire to have a solid technical background in the disciplines of drawing and painting. He has had a life-long interest in painters such as Rembrandt, David, Ingres, Bougereau, Sargent and Eakins.

Michael is Education Director for Edina Art Center’s School of Realism, Coordinator for Art Academy Middle School Students and has provided instruction to adults and teens for the past ten years at Edina Art Center.