Mike Makes Art Come Alive

As a child, I can remember sitting on the floor building layer after layer of walls and floors with playing cards, delicately placing each one until suddenly they all came tumbling down. I too remember lining up dominos, in straight lines and curves, only to watch them one-by-one fall to the ground with one small push.

But, not in my wildest dreams could I build the kinds of giant, intricate exhibitions where one move, one sound, one pull, causes a whole ripple effect of reactions, igniting thought, excitement and creativity, like what Mike DeMaria does through his art.

A freelance master carpenter, whose artistry crafts beautiful custom built-ins and replications of older architectural elements in homes, Mike also makes his living selling his paintings, teaching at local universities, and building large installation exhibits. Through his nonprofit, The Adventurer, he builds interactive, educational exhibits that teach people about environmental issues.

He has a master’s degree in Sequential Art from Savannah College of Art and Design and traces his desire to make grand moving objects to when he built a 40-foot diving shark for a Maker Faire.

In 2016 he as a Globe Grant recipient from People’s Liberty, using his funds to create a Rube Goldberg-inspired interactive, kinetic installation named Serendipity of Sound. You can see it in this video.

Serendipity of Sound: Globe installation by Michael DeMaria from People’s Liberty on Vimeo.

I met him several years ago when I was promoting the opening of the Kennedy Heights Cultural Campus and he created a life-sized (14 foot) moving mastodon for the parade. I remember being in awe seeing it walk down Montgomery Road. I caught up with Michael again and had a few more questions for him.

What makes you smile when you wake up in the morning?
Michael:  I am living out my passion and having fun doing it. It’s nice to be busy. I wish I had three of me.

What advice do you have for others about pursuing their dreams?
Michael:  If you really want to do something with yourself, take passion and pride in it, and then do a prolific amount of it.

How would you describe yourself?
Michael: I have always been very active. I need very little sleep. I have an overactive brain and am always coming up with concepts that keep me up nights. If I come up with an idea, than I have to do it. Once someone pitched to me to make a whale shark puppet. A few days later, I decided to make it and a month later, it was done!