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Michael David Drake

Classical Painter

Biography

Michael David Drake was born during the feast of the Assumption in 1942. “I was born in Britain when she was struggling against formidable odds 155.000 Germans were poised to spill onto the shores of Britain, only a small narrow body of water for protection England at that time: German bombs rained down on London, the streets were filled with debris from damaged, and burning buildings, geyser like water mains flooded the streets of London. The cries of the dying and the groans of the oppressed, tears of despair surrounded my cradle from the hour of my birth; as the buildings burned he was delivered by the loving hands of the district nurse who heroically, waved the doctor to his next urgency or delivery. Britain’s hour of need was as the valiant and courageous ‘Few’ fought ferociously against the enemy, with their  flying skill and courage defended Britain, altering the focus of Hitler anger to Russia; and the eastern front.

Grandparents

The grandparents originated in Russia in 1800’s and most probably due to the austerity imposed on the population by the tsar, who with punitive edicts severely hastened the demise of royalty in Russia ushering in the Soviet regime -  Their only course was to emigrate westward to a freer, and democratic existence passing through France and Holland, and finally settling in England where their remains are in interred at the Highgate cemetery near the tomb of Carl Marx. - Michaels parents a father was a priest at a local church, who wrote for the local paper, and created an informal journal, and a mother who was a home maker. A brother who entered the banking and finance industry and a sister who excelled in psychiatry  - during these early years, the family would take trips to Belgium to renew family ties and trade with our European relations and it was on these many trips that M developed and fostered the seeds of creativity in his young mind; It was on one of these trips the M discovered the joy and delights of pen and ink sketching - Whilst looking out of a hotel window in an Oostend hotel, M was able to capture the images, sketching the hearse carriages then used as taxis; this to the delight and encouragement of his father. -  on one memorable return trip on the Oostend to Calis ferry, captained by a black bearded skipper who rode the ferry through the billowing high seas; this gave M the opportunity to stay on deck and watch the power of nature, throw and toss the little ferry into  the waves, and onto the deck of the ship with thunderous and with a visceral power to inspire all emotions in a young artist. M said a damascene moment : from that instance on he was touched by the goddess of art and so became a devotee and disciple of the art of painting.

1950’s Early schooling

Early school years were spent discovering the great master and traditional works of art in Ealing Art College, Slade School of Fine Art, where he achieved a diploma with merit and distinction. Michael started making wire sculptures and selling to a gallery in Swiss Cottage  1950's Those early years finances were low for the family and M worked in a hairdressers to help the family survive: this skill proved valuable to enable M to emigrate to New York City where he worked for the famous Vidal Sassoon  -  It was there in New York that he met his first wife Natasha – These first years were a delight and a discovery, they honeymooned for months in Europe visiting all the major cities and on their return settling  in Swiss Cottage that M thoughts turned to what was commercial, but a hint of skill creatively. -

Photography

The Photography Years

Starting as an apprentice in a London Soho photo studio of Jeremy King, M learned the trade quickly with the mature journeyman photographers, the on the –road work, location shooting became the foundation for understanding the medium of film with a 4’x5” and even the 8”x 10” plate cameras and choice of lenses; the team worked well, as the years passed  M saw an opportunity to return to America and New York. There is a magic about the city; M said “like no other I’ve seen somehow it gets smaller and smaller the more times you walk around the streets” and it’s the vibrancy, the vitality, the breaths creation: M has lived in Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Barcelona, all have a character, but non like the burgeoning  effervescent, spirit of New York

Fashion Photography

The world of fashion is a world of magazines, the Vogue, Elle, Harpers Bazar, etc.  and the movie star photographers that inhabit and sustain that culture

It was a wonderfully bright sunny autumn day that M walked into the most famous photographer of them all, the Irving Pen Studio, a pivotal moment in M career, during his time he assisted in the flower series and famous people portraits for Vogue ; M realized the difference, that Pen used, was to light the subjects that interested M as the final rendering of a concept: Pen was a master of natural light and the used the power to control texture on the face giving an in-site into the masters techniques. Pen developed and revived the platinum print process and on sheets of aluminum he adhered watercolor paper to print his favorite images that he archived.

On one occasion M made a still life at his home photographing it and proceeded to ask Pen’s opinion, and making an innocent comment to Pen that what we were observing is “art”. Pen the gentleman of intellect and politeness escorted M from the viewing light-box of the color films and, together walked to the area of the studio where there was a book-shelf: Pen pointed the books saying M “This is Art”. Pen’s thought’s clearly inferred that photography is different – Art is a manufactured in the human brain and is expressed in an entirely different medium ant to that we call ”artist”: This episode resonated deeply in M’s mind and he resolved to make the leap, as an artist when feasible. The seed was already germinating, with those few words convinced M to do what the God of art has dictated: M can only descried the feeling as a gentle push from behind, with the natural sweet perfume and the swish of her golden hair. As the years at Pen’s passed M’s first son was born Matthew and after a short while the second son Mitchell, was born, both talented and high achievers did well for themselves, in college and in business. M, because of the financial strain, had to leave Pen, to build an income, so he looked commercially for an income. - Tiffany & Co hired M to work on the catalogue and the ads that are put in the magazines and newspapers: after a couple of years Saving money and buying equipment M was able to get a loft at 36 East 23rd street. In a year or two he amassed a collection of customers the like of Cartier, Bucherer of Switzerland George Briard, Alfred Karem Jewelers, Matzkin Bros. and as business and the photo industry changed developed as a print broker completing the ads in the New York Times, and national magazines as well as supervising the printing.

Divorce and the end of the marriage the end of the Photography.

There is no doubt that the strains of business and the financial problems weighed heavily on married life and as many marriages at that time the end, was not pleasant or in any way amicable, acrimony and a very log drawn out divorce that led to years of tension, and depression. Infecting the children of the marriage who never contacted M. . In these tumultuous years fortunately M met a young woman and discovered real love. She was a major catalyst in M’s life, the discovery, the joy and the torment of ongoing divorce, inhibited thoughts on work as an artist and yet she brought light into the M’s life. M faced a difficult choice, more children or become an artist – Not an easy choice

Her encouragement, and goading M opened his first one man show at the Long Island Historical Society many shows followed notably:

Manufacturers Trust Flag Ship Branch Wall Street: where M had the complete main floor Oil paintings and watercolors.

And several other branches

Mari of Westchester Galleries

Article in New York Times:

Jacob Javits Exhibition

London: Swiss Cottage Art Gallery

Hampstead London: Leighton Art

Michael is now retired works on a large scale Baroque works that are extremely popular