Mike Bathum holds a BA in design from the University of Washington, an MFA in painting from Fort Wright College, and two Master's degrees in theology from Seattle University. Mike has been a public school and community college educator for twenty-five years and an exchange teacher in Auckland, New Zealand, working with the Maori artists and writers.

He was the marketing coordinator for the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University for five years, and is a published author of books on art, creativity, spirituality, and nature. For the last four summers he has studied at the Glen Workshop for artists and writers in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Currently he is the owner/designer of Artigiano, a studio specializing in design, liturgical and fine art in Bellingham, Washington. Mike is a commissioned painter and banner designer and his work has appeared in galleries and churches throughout the Pacific Northwest, California, and New Zealand.

"I compose my paintings in acrylic on heavy rag content printers paper. The flexibility of acrylics allow me to paint with transparency like watercolor, or with thicker opaque strokes. I don’t hold back on color especially with my penchant for descriptive detail in seascape portraiture. Although I try not to type cast myself as a portrait artist, I like to include people who are actively engaged in, or along the waters edge. The dichotomy between objects and their reflections in water create a realistic, abstract concept. I keep a busy schedule in my studio, divided between painting, banner design, photography, and writing. It makes for a full studio life."