I was born outside of Washington D.C. to parents who worked for the government, CIA and FBI, but my path was not the security of a government lifestyle. Instead a choose to follow my passion for the arts. After attending Carnegie-Mellon University in painting and UVA in writing and psychology I found myself on MTV reviewing films. After a number of years of continuing my pursuit in the visual and written arts, and directing a news program, I wrote, directed and produced a TV series, Hands and Tales, for hearing impaired children and hearing children. I write and paint exclusively now while being lead teaching artist for a program called A Reason To Survive, ARTS, teaching art to homeless children, kids in the juvenile justice system, kids with Downs syndrome and other populations of kids at risk. A documentary about one of my former students and assistants, "Inocente", won an academy award. I presently live happily in Southern California. Feel free to contact me at: Michael Wilson 36745 Palmdale Rancho Mirage CA 92270 858-204-1094 michaelbeann@yahoo.com And see more of my work at Paintingsbymichael.com and writingsbymichael.com