Mike Shea grew up in Dallas, Texas and then left as soon as he could. As was often drawled there; "if you're lookin' fer culture, check the dairy section of the local Piggly Wiggly". Mike's paintings, done in acrylic on home made wood panels, are a mixture of surrealistic tendencies and a fascination with how interior and exterior realities are often diamentrically opposed. The paintings utilize collage, glazes sanding, drawing and various painting techniques.

Inspirations come from Hieronymus Bosch, Albrecht Durer, The Book of Hours, Chris Carter and Philip Guston to name a few. African, Asian, Aztec, Mayan and islander art also inform.

Mike has been drawing since he was a child. In 1991 he received a BFA in Traditional Printmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute. He also attended UT Austin.