Local Artist Profile: Mick Savage Blends Art & Science

Utah native and Park City resident, Mick Savage has recently gotten serious about his life-long artistic passion. “When I was young, I wanted to be an artist. I drew and painted all the time and became an art major in college.” Married and with a young daughter, Mick was advised by an art professor that switching majors might make it easier to find a job that could support his family. “I followed his advice and switched to science. It’s been wonderful to get back to my art in a serious way.”

Mick focused on the field of molecular biology. “I spent most of my career developing software used to design drugs -- like CAD for molecules. For the last 20 years, I have worked as a consultant, allowing me to work from Park City with ease.”

Now that Mick is devoting time to his talent, he has seen the subject matter featured in his work undergo great changes. “In the beginning, my subjects were mainly wildlife; mule deer, elk, wolves, etc. Lately, I’ve been working on oil abstractions of the molecular machines that drive the life process; ribosomes, enzymes, antibodies, etc. It has been so much fun to link my two passions together in a brand new way.”

Mick’s works have been on display and for sale at various private shows in the area. “Just in the past few years, I’ve been able to have a few shows where the sales have been very encouraging. I confess, the prices are also very attractive.”

Currently, Mick and wife, Chrissie are traveling extensively so it’s difficult to accumulate much in the way of volume but when travels slow down Mick may explore more of a marketing strategy.