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Associate Professor Michael joined the Art Department at CLU full-time in 2005 having previously served as an adjunct professor in 2001. He's an accomplished oil painter, installation designer, and an award-winning theatrical scenic designer. He says teaching painting and drawing to CLU students is the most rewarding job of his life.

If you wish to find out what he's up to in the painting studio, please check out his blog.

Michael is the Chair of the Art Department and curator of the Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture, which under his direction has hosted exhibits by artists like Bela Bacsi, Mia Tavonatti, Cyn McCurry, Christopher Marshall and Christophe Cassidy, the Distillery Collective, Morgan Alexander (Photographs), the AIDS Quilt, CLU's Art faculty, and many other artists.

For more information on the Kwan Fong Gallery check out the Art Department's blog here.

Michael's paintings are in the collections of: Oil heir Andrew Getty, Rap Mogul Percy Miller (Master P), Movie Director Jennifer Lynch, Sound Designer Steve Tibbo, Rapper Corey Miller (C-Murder), In Living Color creator Kim Bass, Superstar Snoop Dogg, The Carsey Werner Company, San Fernando Valley Historical Society, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Actor Shane Brolly, E.P. Graphics, Director Alon Aranya, Skinny Puppy singer Kevin “Ohgr” Ogilvie, CLU Professor Sue Bauer.

Education

Michael earned his undergraduate degree from Dartington College of Arts and an M.F.A. in scenic design from University of Southern California. In October of 2007 his PhD dissertation "Vesica: Using Neolithic British Ritual Art and Architecture as a Model for Making Contemporary Art." was accepted by examiners at Plymouth University, England who awarded the doctorate in 2008. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquarians of Scotland.

Expertise

Pearce's particular research interests include Alchemy, Prehistoric British Art and Architecture, Ritual and Symbolism, Renaissance symbolism and mysticism, British Antiquarianism.