BIO
Over the last 40+ years, Michael Alan Coakes has honed his unique image rendering through various mediums to consistently deliver work, rich with allure. His subjects feel familiar yet vaguely unknown. There's a bold simplicity, often cloaked in dream-like mystery, that draws viewers into each piece.
Michael grew up in a middle-class, mostly blue-collar suburb outside of Chicago. Even at a young age, his artistic talents garnered the attention of nearby artists and instructors. With their help, his creative journey began to flourish, driven by visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and the rich visual culture of the 1970s.
In his late teens, Michael's talents led him to a successful career in commercial art, where he found the challenges of creative problem-solving and exposure to various industry tools exhilarating. His true passion, nonetheless, lay in fine art, and he eventually returned to this path, realizing that, here too, the tools he used were less important than the work itself. As he puts it, "If I use a camera to create an image, I don't necessarily think of it as a photograph. I might have created the same image with charcoal or paint."
During the past decade, he has participated in more than 70 solo and group exhibitions. His art is included in collections around the world.
PROUD TO BE REPRESENTED BY
Virgil Catherine Gallery - Hinsdale, IL
CV
Jan 2025 Group Exhibit, “In View 2025” The Art Center of Highland Park, Highland Park, IL
Nov 2024 Group Show "10x10" Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Nov 2024 Group Exhibit, “Retrospection” Virgil Catherine Gallery, Hinsdale, IL
Oct 2024 Group Show "SURREAL" Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Oct 2024 Group Exhibit, “Sponteaneity” Virgil Catherine Gallery, Hinsdale, IL
Aug-Sept 2024 Solo Exhibit, “Cherchez la Femme” Water Street Studios, Batavia, IL
May 2024 Group Exhibit, “Modern Narators” Virgil Catherine Gallery, Hinsdale, IL
Mar-Apr 2024 Group Show "NO COLOR" Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Dec 2023-Jan 2024 Group Exhibit, “In View 2024” The Art Center of Highland Park, Highland Park, IL
Nov 2023-Jan 2024 Group Exhibit, “Environment” 116 Gallery, St. Charles, IL
Nov-Dec 2023 Group Exhibit, “East to (Mid)West” Virgil Catherine Gallery, Hinsdale, IL
Oct 2023 Group Exhibit / Charity Auction, “Art For Life (DIFFA Chicago)” The Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL
Sept-Oct 2023 Group Exhibit, “Members’ Fall Exhibit 2023” Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst, IL
Sept-Oct 2023 Group Exhibit, “Myth of Memory” Virgil Catherine Gallery, Hinsdale, IL
Sept-Oct 2023 Group Exhibit, “80th Annual Salon Show” South Shore Arts Center, Munster, IN
Aug-Sept 2023 Group Exhibit, “Economical” Artist Replete Gallery, Chicago, IL
Apr 2023 Solo Exhibit, “Cherchez la Femme” Stola Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Mar-Apr 2023 Group Exhibit, “46th Art Comp” Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, IL
Mar 2023 Group Exhibit, “3 FOR LIFE” with DIFFA, Art for Life Chicago 33 Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Feb 2023 Group Exhibit, “Angels & Demons” Stola Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Jan-Feb 2023 Group Exhibit, “In View 2023” The Art Center of Highland Park, Highland Park, IL
Dec 2022 Group Exhibit, “Visions of Hope” Stola Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Oct 2022 Group Exhibit / Charity Auction, “Art For Life (DIFFA Chicago)” The Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL
Sept-Oct 2022 Group Exhibit, “13th Anniversary Show” Water Street Studios, Batavia, IL
Sept-Oct 2022 Group Exhibit, “79th Annual Salon Show” South Shore Arts Center, Munster, IN
Aug-Oct 2022 Group Exhibit, “Convergence” Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
Aug 2022 Group Exhibit, “Democracy in Danger” Stola Contemporary Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
Mar 2022 Group Exhibit, “Art Comp 45” Beverly Arts Center, Chicago, IL
Jan 2022 Group Exhibit, “In View 2022” Art Center HP, Highland Park, IL
Dec 2021 Group Show “Thin Line” Art Center HP, Highland Park, IL
Oct 2021 Group Show “Dangerous Lullabies” Dole Mansion and Art Center., Crystal Lake, IL
Sept - Oct 2021 Group Show “2021 Later Impressions” Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, IL
Sept 2021 Group Show “Fantasy & Fiction” Old Courthouse Art Center, Woodstock, IL
Jan 2021 Group Exhibit, "Rest in Power! The Life, Legacy and Mission of RBG" Stola Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Oct 2020 Group Exhibit, "Give Peace a Chance" Stola Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
Jan - Feb 2020 Group Show "Cuffing" Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Oct - Nov 2018 Group Show “October National 2018” Madden Art Center, Decatur, IL **Award Winner
Sept - Nov 2018 Group Show “75th Annual Salon” South Shore Arts Center, Munster, IN **Award Winner
Sept - Nov 2018 Group Show “If You Only Knew” Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL
Sept - Oct 2018 Group Show “2018 Later Impressions” Old Town Art Center, Chicago, IL
May- June 2018 Group Show “Bringing Sexy Back” Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Apr- May 2018 Group Show “Red” Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Mar-Apr 2018 Solo Show “Les Femmes” The New Studio Gallery, Evanston, IL
Nov 2017- Feb 2018 Group Show “14th Annual Juried Exhibition” Freeport Art Museum, Freeport, IL
October 2017 Group Show “Connections” State Street Gallery at Robt. Morris Univ., Chicago, IL
October 2017 Group Show “Dangerous Lullabies” Dole Mansion and Art Center., Crystal Lake, IL
Sept-Oct 2017 Group Show “SKETCHBOOK” 33 Contemporary Gallery, Chicago, IL
July-Aug 2017 Group Show “Figures and Faces” Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
July 2017 Group Show “6th Annual Creek Gallery Exhibition” Crystal Lake, IL
June 2017 Group Show “Summer Solstice” Yorkville, IL
Apr 2017 Solo exhibit “Tissage” South Suburban College, South Holland, IL
Feb 2017 Group Exhibit “Nude Nite” Orlando, FL
Jan-Mar 2017 Group Exhibit “Seduction” Jackson Junge Gallery, Chicago, IL
Jan-Feb 2017 Group Exhibit “Adam & Eve” Old Courthouse Art Center, Woodstock, IL
Oct-Dec 2016 Group Exhibit “Regional Finalists – Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series 2016” Gallery Guichard, Chicago, IL
October 2016 Group Show “Dangerous Lullabies” Crystal Lake, IL
September-October 2016 Group Show “South Shore Arts 73rd Annual Salon Show” Munster, IN
August-September 2016 Group Show “5th Annual Creek Gallery Exhibition” Crystal Lake, IL
June-July 2016 Group Exhibit “Lexicon” 2nd Floor Gallery, the ZhouB Art Center, Chicago, IL
Previous exhibit history available upon request.
PUBLICATIONS
2023 “Cherchez la Femme – The Art of Michael Alan Coakes” A collection of work from the artist (Hardcover and softcover. editions).
2022 “Democracy in Danger” Group Exhibition Catalog
2020 “Rest in Power! The Life, Legacy & Mission of Ruth Bader Ginsberg” Group Exhibition Catalog
2016 Art & Beyond — Special Issue: Nude and Figurative Art (Magazine)
2015 “Signed & Numbered” (Hard cover book)
2015 Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA — “Fusion” Exhibition Catalog
2014 Art & Beyond — Special Issue: Digital Art (Magazine)
2014 Orange County Center for Contemporary Art — “Body Language” Exhibition Catalog
2012 “Art Takes Miami” Exhibition Catalog