Michael McWillie

Art Brokerage: Michael McWillie American Artist: Michael McWillie was born in Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B​FA in Studio Art. He did his post-graduate work at UCLA Extension in Filmmaking. He began his career as an Art Director in Los Angeles designing graphics for motion picture studios and television networks, including CBS, Columbia Pictures and the Walt Disney Company. He is noted for designing the newspaper and magazine montage in the blockbuster movie GHOSTBUSTERS. His name and image actually appear in the film on the USA TODAY front page. Michael is most well known for his paintings and work as a fine artist. He is noted for his paintings and prints of his favorite muse - the Scottish Terrier, as well as his Blue Note paintings and for his latest muse - the Note Blowing Elephant. Solo exhibitions of his paintings and prints have toured at museums across the United States and he has shown at galleries from New York to California. For years Michael had two paintings hanging in the White House next to an Andrew Wyeth. He was also selected to paint the painting for the 2008 White House Easter Egg Roll. A tradition dating back to 1827. That painting is now in the National Archives. Michael received the commission to paint Barney, the First Dog on September 10, 2001 - the day before 9-11. The reference materials with photos of Barney actually arrived at Michael's studio on September 11th as the planes were crashing into the buildings in New York. Determined to not give in to the terror - Michael started painting the painting late in the night of September 11th. The painting was presented to First Lady Laura Bush in late 2001. In the summer of 2005 Michael received the commission to paint the President and First Lady's new dog, Miss Beazley.