Mike Binzer

At a young age Mike began studying ballet and contemporary dance, which encouraged his keen interest in—and developed a unique insight on—the human body that has continued to guide his creative endeavors. He completed his training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, and continued on to dance professionally with the company for a number of years. After leaving the performing arts, Mike turned his attention to the visual arts, receiving his BFA with distinction in painting from the Alberta College of Art & Design (ACAD). Mike later completed his MFA at the University of Regina where his research was focused on painting the human body as it is experienced, rather than merely visually perceived. He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Painting Major Award of Excellence from ACAD, and the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Mike has participated in a variety of solo and group exhibitions, and has also taught painting and drawing, most recently encaustic painting at the Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Center in Regina, SK. Mike currently lives and works in Victoria, BC.