The Artist
Michael Weitzenhoff, Artist/Engineer/Builder
Sometimes, it’s the less traveled path which is more interesting.
Michael has taken the long road to express his artistic talents. He grew up on the New Jersey shore and was fortunate to have early exposure to oils and pastels in his artist-grandmother Lola Weitzenhoff’s studio. Rather than art studies, however, young Michael filled his world by building; there were tree houses, underground structures, boats, bridges and other creations in wood, concrete and stone. He entered the University of Michigan in 1968 and was pursuing hard science until the social tumult of the sixties launched him on a journey of self exploration. In the Near East and Asia, from 1969 to 1974, he discovered the magic, the Zen of direct carving.
Local artisans in Banaras shared their stone handling and carving techniques, but it was not until returning to New Jersey that he began art training. He studied first with sculptor Douglas McIlvain at Georgian Court College and then with figure drawing artist Earl Tyler. He was strongly influenced and guided in stone and wood carving by New York City sculptor Charles Salerno. During this period, Michael created several juried and award winning wood and stone sculptures.
In 1975 he returned to the University of Michigan to complete his BS in Natural Resources. His 1-bedroom apartment in Ann Arbor became a sculpture studio. Local alabaster, limestone and gifts of ebony and Brazilian soapstone from family and friends kept the studio busy. In 1977, Michael packed up the studio and moved to Manoa and the University of Hawaii with a scholarship from the East-West Center. Studies, surfing, a career as an engineer/contractor and the commitments to a loving family reduced the sculpture output to a trickle.
Finally, in 2001 Michael built a new studio in the mists of Maunawili and the creative force roared back to life. In addition to creating sculpture, Michael was fortunate to join artist Chuck Davis’ figure drawing studio at the Academy Art Center at Linekona. He has displayed his work at the 2003 Hawaii Wood Show and at a 2005 Maunawili Open Studio. Michael continues both his construction career as president of M&M Tanks and his life as a sculptor. He shares the Maunawili home and noisy studio with his lovely and talented wife, Chifumi Nagai, PhD.