Michael Piotrowski

  Michael rekindled his passion for oil painting after a forty-year hiatus.  For over 30 years his creativity found expression through light in his professional career as a Stage Lighting Designer.

    Michael received a BS in Art Education with additional graduate courses in Photography and Art History from SUNY New Paltz.  He worked for regional dance companies in the U.S. and abroad. His lighting talent also brought him into theatre, musicals and operas, including teaching Dance Production at Brooklyn College, Lighting Design at SUNY New Paltz and Kingsborough Community College, and  guest lecturing at Vassar.

    Recalling his father’s lifelong passion for music, Michael felt encouraged to return to painting.  He began to meet regional artists and take various classes. It all came together for Michael at an oil painting workshop offered by William Noonan at the Wallkill River School.

    Michael dug out his old paint box, passed down from his mother, containing paint tubes so old and crusted it took pliers to open them. Soon Michael's creative energy also released, and he produced a body of oil paintings ready to be exhibited.  Michael's passion for painting was seen
at the Wallkill River School and Art Gallery in his first solo exhibit from July 2009.

    Michael is a member of a Wednesday night A.R.T.S. Group and the Wallkill River School and he Orange County Arts Council.