Michael Cyra is a representational painter with an affinity toward impressionism and atmosphere. “My pursuit of happiness is discovered each time I see something beautiful. I feel blessed to have the ability to recognize these moments and to interpret them through my artwork. I strive to paint how I’m feeling about a subject and love sharing these stories with my collectors.” Michael studied art in high school under the independent study of his instructors. It was here where he found his passion for drawing and painting but also his love of photography. After high school, Michael took a practical route in his education earning a marketing degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and later an MBA from Wake Forest University. His professional pursuits put painting on the back burner, but his camera has never left his side. Michael is an accomplished and highly sought-after professional photographer specializing in fine-art landscape, architectural and portrait photography. After moving to Charleston in 2003, Michael had the impelling urge to paint again - advancing his craft through practice, research, and professional workshop education. He sees many parallels between painting and photography most notably in his obsession with composition, lighting and color. But it is with his brush that he feels he has finally found a medium that enables him to share the mood and atmosphere in his mind’s eye - beyond what the camera can achieve.