Who are we?

Mike SNOW was born in 1957 in the United States and lived there until 2005 when he moved to Southwest France with his partner, Timothy WHITE, to continue his development in the art world. As a child he always enjoyed drawing and painting, but instead pursued a career in the engineering and design fields. After establishing and growing his own company for many years, he decided to sell everything and follow his passion for art. He has studied with Italian artist Francesca La Rue in Hawaii, and also Hungarian artist Emö Simonyi in Italy, as well as others.

Today Mike lives in a 15th century château near Bergerac and Bordeaux, France, and paints full-time. He has a gallery located in the château and has exhibited in several countries.

His art is continually evolving as he has been influenced by a variety of countries and cultures in his travels. His work can be at times both political and inspirational in style, full of expression and sometimes controversy. His goal is not to be the best artist in the world, but to enrich his life and the lives of others through color and the expression of life, capturing the essence of life and talking himself, his students, and his following on a journey through the life of an artist. Finding himself, losing himself, asking why, and answering "Why not!" Mike is challenging both himself and others, as well as finding both physical and spiritual healing through honest and full creative expression, painting, and the creative imagination process.

Mike has made the decision to teach only a few classes per year to help inspire others, and to help us all grow as artists enjoying the time together as we progress down our own individual paths of creativity. "Art is a feeling. Art is an expression. Art is a journey. And art is my guiding light."

Timothy has been photographing the world around him since he was a pre-teen. His love for sci-fi and technology inspired him to create and grow a successful software consulting business in the San Francisco Bay Area, and after 20 years he moved his life and his business to the island of Maui in Hawaii for the next six years. In 2005 he moved to France with his partner, Mike SNOW, to expand his photography and artistic studies.

Having spent more than two decades immersed in technology and the digital realm, he does not hesitate to take advantage of the incredible creative potential that digital photography has to offer. More than simply a photographer, he considers himself a digital artist.

"The rich history of Europe, and France in particular, is very inspiring to artists from all walks of life. Whether it is the numerous chateaus in the region, the glorious sunflowers beloved by artists such as Picasso, or the pastoral landscapes of Southern France, this region of the world provides unique opportunities for a photographer."