New England artist Michael Compton studied art and graphic design at Colorado State university and the Minneapolis College and Design. Finding work initially as a package designer for Minnetonka Labs in Chaska Minnesota, Michael’s commercial career also includes print, book illustration and fabric print design. He was a founding member of Whimsical Ink, a design firm specializing in creating screen print art for the retail children’s garment industry based in New York City
Largely self taught, Michael’s lengthy and ongoing contribution to fine art has been significant. His watercolor and oil paintings can be found in numerous corporate and private collections, including Fidelity Investments, McKinsey & Co, Mellon Bank and Harvard University.
Michael currently devotes his time to painting in and out of the studio. An avid plein air painter, he has an extensive history as a juried artist participating in many of the country’s most celebrated plein air competitions with 2025 appearances at the North Carolina, Easton and Cape Ann events. His paintings have been included most recently in several Oil Painters of America National Salon shows and the American Impressionist Society International show and this years Rockport Art Association’s national juried show. Michael currently maintains an active studio in the Miller Street Artist’s Building in Somerville MA.