Collection: Mike Kupka Artist Biography and Art Gallery Collection

Freelance illustrator Mike Kupka’s artistic talent emerged during his early childhood in New Jersey. His hobby quickly grew into a passion, and he honed his craft at duCret School of Art in Plainfield, NJ. There, Mike Kupka was introduced to the work of his greatest influences, Norman Rockwell, Robert McGinnis, and James Bama, developing his signature style of realistic oil painting and narrowing his focus to illustration under the instruction of his professor and mentor, Peter Caras. After eight years of freelance work, Mike Kupka surreptitiously found a niche as a licensed illustrator when his portrait of Ozzy Osbourne caught the eye of a representative of the Disney Company.

Mike Kupka was licensed by Disney for eight years and later by Lucas Films, during which time he brought well-loved characters to life in original scenes. He has also been a licensed illustrator for the National Hockey League and is currently working on a series of pieces for Major League Baseball. Other companies and licensees he produced artwork for are Warner Brothers, Topps, NFL and NBA. He also continues to help raise money for charities such as The Ashley Lauren Foundation, The Ed Lucas Foundation and Ronald McDonald House.

Art collectors recognize Mike Kupka’s work by his knack for bringing familiar subjects to life through vivid illustrations, with his talent showcased in innumerable galleries worldwide and on the walls of famed hockey player Mike Richter and filmmaker George Lucas. He was a first-place winner of Beckett’s 10th annual Sports Gallery Contest and was named one of U.S. Art Magazine’s “25 Artists You Should Know Whether he’s painting well-known rock stars like Ozzy Osbourne, adding new depths to the classic horror characters of Frankenstein and Dracula, or redefining the Disney Villain, Kupka’s affinity for a series of darker characters has developed into quite a scary portfolio.

As with many artists, the creative desire to draw developed early in life. Micke Kupka would wait all week for the Sunday comics and eagerly copy the latest Beatle Bailey. He started to paint during his time at duCret School of Art in New Jersey where he found his mentor, Peter Caras. He has not put the brush down since. Kupka’s artwork captures more than a likeness of the characters he paints. His work creates old world flair, bringing together all the ingredients necessary to make an eye-catching painting. With the soft lines and rustic pallet, the villains he depicts have always shown a great range of emotions. By looking at his work, you know that the characters he renders are so glad to be bad.

Recently Mike Kupka has expanded his portfolio to include star athletes in Super Bowl illustrations and Disney characters like Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. Producing artwork for licensees such as Lucas Films, Disney, and the NHL, his portfolio and popularity continues to grow.