Michael Apice

Would you introduce yourself and give a little personal background?

My name is Michael Apice, I have been an Illustrator for the last 17 or so years. I also art direct for Simon & Schuster, Modern Curriculum, and Scholastic Publishing. I have been creating images for many clients including AT&T, US NAVY, AT&T , Readers Digest, NASA, Wizards of the Coast, Muscular Dystrophy, US Navy, Sci Fi Channel, Queens College, Briarcliffe College, National Lampoon, Scholastic Publishing, Modern Curriculum, Pearson Learning and Paramount pictures. I was awarded best body of work at the Lunar Con Art show 2000. In the past, I have also held the position of president for the New York chapter of the Graphic Artists Guild, 1996-97. Currently, I am full time professor at Briarcliffe College in Bethpage New York.

Congratulations on being ICON’s Artist guest of Honor this year. What does being this year’s GOH mean to you?

Well, to be recognized by my peers with this honor is truly exciting and rewarding. In my commercial art career, I have painted many different subject matters for many different clients. For example, I paint Bottles of whiskey for Seagram’s 7, and Military personal purchasing household items for the US NAVY. While advertising projects pay the best and I do enjoy painting for the advertising field, my love is painting for the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres. These are the painting that I create with or without being commissioned. These are the reasons for my pursuit of a career in art.

So, this award means so much more to me than the monetary payments that I have received from the industry to create them in first place.

I am extremely grateful and humbled by this distinction.

How long have you been an artist? How long have you been creating fantasy art?

I have been drawing and painting all my life, although it wasn't really good at it until college. However, I just loved creating anything. I would try so hard to become better. I started drawing fantasy art immediately after seeing my first Frank Frazetta painting that my uncle introduced to me.

Have you had any formal training in the fine arts?

I have a MFA from the School of Visual Arts, I majored in illustration and minored in photography.

What are your biggest artistic influences and inspirations?

I know it sounds corny, but Leonardo DaVinci is the biggest influence for all my creativity. The true Renaissance man. Not just in the way he painted but in the way he looked at the world and his life. People have said to me "how can you stray away from oils, you're not being true to the traditionalists/old masters". I say, the old masters, like Leonardo, were anything but traditionalists. They were the true innovators. Given a few more years, I bet Leonardo would have invented the airbrush, as well as the compressor for it. He is an inspiration for living a full and productive life, filled with such passion and ambition to be the best he could be. A man that was afraid of nothing. A leader that still leads us today.

Can you describe your creative process - how you come up with ideas for a new drawing and how you take those ideas and create a finished piece of art.

Well if the painting is for a commercial job, I have a lot input from the client. Based upon his needs and goals, I come up with the initial sketches from concepts that we discuss before hand. From there I submit a final sketch then paint.

When I want to create a painting for myself, I usually find inspiration in a model. I love to paint women as angels especially the women that are around me, because that's how I see them. These are my favorite painting because they come from the heart and not the pocket.

Do you have a favorite fantasy artist or an artist you admire?

OH yes, plenty. Of course Frank Frazetta is the reason I went to school of visual arts in the first place. His paintings were so exciting and he legitimized painting fantasy art.

What advice would you give to young artists who are just starting out?

ART SCHOOL/College. Not only will it give you a degree and respect, but also there are so many things you can't teach yourself especially in the same timeframe. Then being around other artists and their work/ideas/influences are just priceless.