Raised in Wheatland, WI, Michael moved from the country to the city to attend the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) in 2004. In 2008, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Communication (Graphic) Design. Michael soon launched Mb Designs, designing brands/graphics for clients throughout the MKE/Southeast, WI area and greater Wisconsin at large, while also designing in-house for a e-commerce jewelry retailer, and then HIV healthcare nonprofit. Currently, Michael is on the team at WaterStreet Creative, where he is the lead designer on the monthly Shepherd Express magazine publication.
In 2013, Michael started taking an interest in photography, mainly with the use of his camera phone. Rather quickly his shots were getting noticed. Shooting in square format the name Mb Squared Photography was born. Michael has since shown his photography in the Appleton Houdini Plaza "One Great Place" show, Milwaukee Gallery Night & Day, Bay View Gallery Night, and at local businesses/galleries throughout Milwaukee and greater Wisconsin. Many weekends, Michael sells and promotes his photographic work at makers markets, art fairs and festivals.
Michael has been very fortunate, as his design and photographic work has been awarded recognition and published nationally in Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), in the American Design Annual and written about in Urban MKE’s Art Scene.
In his spare time Michael enjoys antiquing, hiking, cooking, reading, painting, letterpress printing and hitting the road with his camera, an iPhone 11, and Moment lens attachments.