Mike Goldstein

In order to better support our artists, we have enlisted videographer James Dobos to shoot introductory videos which we are posting to the website to help you get better acquainted with the diverse community that makes up A Gift of Art.

Mike Goldstein,

B.L. Arch; M. L. Arch; LEED AP

Mike Goldstein (also known as Michael Goldstein for those who can spell Michael) was born at a very early age and has been drawing since then; in fact, Mike’s first drawing was a caricature of the doctor during Mike’s birth.

Mike sees humour in everything and, at the risk of being politically incorrect, he finds the subjects of death, disease, afflictions and phobias potentially the funniest subjects. What isn’t funnier than an epileptic brain surgeon or the sign on an Attention Deficit Disorder Clinic that is partially completed or the Alcoholics Anonymous Head Office building that is leaning against an adjacent building? The humour has crept into the courses that he has developed and taught which include the following. Numbers 2, 3 and 5 below have been taught at A Gift Of Art.

1. Perspective Without Pain: Basic principles of 1, 2 & 3 point perspective for beginners. Don’t worry: the points are not sharp.

2. How to Create And Draw A Graphic Novel (for beginners): How to draw a graphic novel including creating and drawing your own character that will star in the graphic novel; drawing expressions; drawing your character in dynamic action; the plot; storyboarding; how panels move the story along and create suspense, drama and surprise; perspective; the script and drawing sound effects; pencilling and inking; and putting it all together to create a one page (or more) graphic novel.

3. Look At The Size of That Guy’s Nose – Caricaturing For Beginners: How to exaggerate the distinctive or peculiar features of a person (or pet) while still retaining a recognizable resemblance. The students bring photos of relatives, friends, stars, enemies and practice drawing caricatures of them. I am not responsible for any negative consequences as a result of students drawing caricatures of their enemies.

4. My Dog Wears Pajamas: Creating and drawing a character of your own creation and bringing it to life by giving it a personality, motivation, a history, flaws, super powers, clothing, etc.

5. Doodlemania: How to turn your ordinary doodles into appealing lifelike characters. Even Leonardo DaVinci, John Lennon and Franz Kafka doodled.

6. Drawing In Pen & Ink: Having fun and making a mess with pen and ink. Includes pen & ink techniques, creating texture, shadows, depth, etc.

Mike’s teaching philosophy is that the students must have fun and that making mistakes is encouraged. No student is ignored.

Mike has taught art courses at Trinity College School, Port Hope; A Gift of Art, Newcastle; Bowmanville Older Adult Association, Bowmanville; Whitby Station Gallery, Whitby; The Art Institute, Cambridge, MA; Faculty of Arts, Harvard University; The Cartoon Workshop, Toronto; private lessons.

Mike left Toronto’s rat race in 2014 – since he does not have large ears and a tail – and semi-retired to Port Hope where he is devoting time to semi-drawing and semi-teaching of art courses.

Mike can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 647-881-2200. His website is mikegoldstein.ca, it is currently under construction so be careful of the dust. A helmut must be worn.

Mike teaching at A Gift of Art!

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