Michael Bentley is an artist and photographer living in Granby, Connecticut. He worked for many years in graphic design and pre-press (and eventually design and content development for the digital realm), and it was during this time that he developed his skills in photography and image processing. Over the last decade photography has played an increasingly large role in Bentley’s creative life.

Bentley was exposed to art as a child, and quickly developed an interest in drawing and painting that carried on into adulthood. Influenced particularly by his mother’s passion for music, literature, and graphic arts, Bentley continued to develop his creative tools and sensibilities, benefitting from a few weekend art courses in high school and college, but otherwise self-directed.

His photography has evolved from youthful travel snapshots, to photos for specific design jobs, and then further developed into images both documentary and poetic in nature. Bentley also creates monoprints, working mostly with acrylic paints and alcohol inks, and is developing projects that would combine the various media in which he works.

Besides graphic arts, Bentley has worked as a musician and producer, founding an experimental music label in the mid 1990s that issued over three dozen releases. His musical efforts included performing and recording both electronic and traditional acoustic Scottish music, and for five years hosting a weekly radio show in Alameda, California. His lifelong love of music has often inspired his creative efforts.

michaelrossbentley.com