Biography |
I was born on July 3rd, 1953 in East New York, Brooklyn, where my dad had a small hardware store. We were 100% secular, though the area was 90% Jewish. Within 12 years it would be 90% African-American, and spark my lifelong exploration of racial issues. I write about the neighborhood and my Dad’s death in some of my poetry, and essays; episodes from my childhood are touched on in my children’s books, so I will not repeat myself here. My parents eventually moved, with my sister Ellen and me, to Long Island, where my Mom still lives (hi, Ma). When I was 19, I got a job traveling the country selling fine-art reproductions out of the back of my van (in between stints at SUNY-Albany). Previous to that, I had never stepped foot in a museum or an art gallery; nor was I much of a reader. I toured the mid-west for 3 years, and fell in love—with art, with literature, and with my wife—before I challenged my boss to the fateful game of ping-pong that would change my life (it’s a long story), and cause Kurt Vonnegut (I’ll drop more names later) to christen me “The Ping-Pong Hustler.” Suffice it to say I ended up with enough cash in my pocket to start my first small gallery in 1976. Three years later I came back east and started R.Michelson Galleries, which would grow from a 72 foot space in a hippie-mall corridor, to a 4-story monumental old bank building with 60’ceilings and marble floors. It was here where I would first be introduced to the world of illustrated books (read an essay from our 20th Annual Illustration catalog here). I have been more than fortunate to have had such a great response to my poetry and my picture books. I wish I could thank each and every one of you individually. The full list of Awards garnered is here: (Award List). I have gotten a chance to travel the world, and meet and hang out with (and represent) many of America’s greatest artists and illustrators and poets. (And no, I am not Leonard Nimoy’s long-lost son, no matter what you have heard). I still write poetry full-time, and I write kids’ books full time, and I work full-time at the gallery. I also stress out about more than I should, and relax less than is healthy; but I have mostly managed to stay out of the way so my beautiful wife, Jennifer, could raise our two children properly (and yes, she did convert to Judaism—against my wishes and go into labor while in the mitkvah; but that is her story to tell.) Jennifer teaches Thai Massage and runs her own studio, Breath. Our son, Samuel, is Director of Operations at a high end architectural hardware company called Nanz, so if you are building your dream mansion, give him a call. Our daughter, Marisa, is an amazing composer and playwright, and if you haven’t heard her work yet, you will soon. To prove this isn’t just a Dad’s kvelling—though it is that, too—you can listen to her music here. That ought to do it, but if you need more information, check out the interview page or send me an email.
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List of Major Awards
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Richard Michelson is a poet, children’s book author, and art dealer who does not generally speak of himself in the third person, so…