Michael Babyak

Michael Babyak was born in Ohio where he graduated from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s degree in ballet.

Babyak received his degree in an unusual manner…at age 16, he left Ohio to travel throughout the US and Europe and then served in the US Military before returning to Ohio Michael ‘s talents were well known, and resulted in a ten year career as a dancer with the Cincinnati Opera and performances along with various regional ballet companies.

Upon retiring from dance in 1992, Babyak began a career of what had, until then, been a less than full time but passionate calling - painting.

In 1993 Michael moved to NY to pursue painting where he was successful with acceptance in numerous juried art shows, arts festivals and gallery shows nationwide. He also created scenic designs for ballet and had his work used on the WB Network's Jamie Foxx Show among others.

He is the recipient of the Critic's Pick Award from Manhattan Arts International Magazineand was commissioned to create large-scale paintings for Lucky Strike Lanes and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Babyak’s paintings are currently in galleries in NY, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and Las Gatos.

The artists’ work has evolved from realist figurative images in oils, acrylics and charcoals, to abstraction and realism, primarily in acrylic. Often there is a sense of movement to his work, whether the subject is animate or inanimate, which can be attributed to Babyak’s background in dance and music.

The “Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster” is part of the Star Guitar series including guitars used by Pete Townshend, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Keith Richards.

According to Babyak “nothing defines rock and roll quite like the electric guitar. So its only appropriate the instrument be properly immortalized in art. Other music-based artists have attempted such feats by focusing on the player, but my paintings have the musician's guitar itself as center stage. Around the guitar, the energy of the music is exemplified, using vibrant colors and overlapping imagery in reference to the artists career".