Mike Shaw is an award winning artist whose art career focuses on two of the most beautiful and iconic areas in the United States- the rustic farmlands of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and the quaint fishing village of Wellfleet, Cape Cod. 

 

Though largely self taught, Mike's classical style of representational realism has been strongly influenced by several contemporary Cape Cod artists and by the two generations of 19th century artists known as the Hudson River School. With regards to the later group, focusing on the beauty of the American landscape, there was a commonly held sense that the majesty of God could be revealed and honored by rendering through art the handiwork of His creation. 

 

Mike is a member of Oil Painters of America (OPA), the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society (NOAPS) and the Lancaster County Art Association (LCAA). He has been represented by the Blue Heron Gallery in Wellfleet since 1999. His paintings are found in many private collections throughout the United States and Canada. His work has been featured in a number of one-man and group shows including the Blue Heron Gallery, the Red Raven Gallery in Lancaster, PA, the David Lyall Showroom and the New England Open Exhibition in Barnstable, MA. He was a finalist in American Artist Magazines 2000 competition and the Media Arts Group New Artist competition. Mike was recently juried into both OPA's 2020 National Salon Show, the 2020 Eastern Regional Exhibition in Charleston, South Carolina and NOAPS Best of America 2021 Exhibition in Missoula, Montana. Mike's work has been featured in several publications, most recently the June 2019 issue of Cape Cod Life magazine- Arts Edition. 

 

Mike's undergraduate educational experience includes the United States Naval Academy and Muhlenberg College where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Natural Science. He also holds a Master's Degree in theology from Palmer Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Mike's occupational background includes five years as a singer/songwriter in a Philadelphia based music group, a number of years in the pastoral ministry and 26 years as a sales manager in the corporate world. Mike and his wife Lisa live in a converted barn in Lancaster. They have three children and six grandchildren.