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At age 17, Michael Hoffman, his mother and sister, moved from New York to Key Biscayne, Florida. This new environment was a dreamland for the budding young wildlife artist. Here he was able to observe first-hand all forms of marine and tropical wildlife on a daily basis.
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Previously an avid fisherman, by 1977, the demand for Hoffman's artwork was so great that full-time fishing became impossible. He was however, careful to keep his hand in and still made frequent trips to the Caribbean and South America to study new and exotic marine life.
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In 1981, Hoffman moved from Key Biscane to Stuart, Florida. Smitten with the Island feel of his new home, he settled into a 12-14 per hour day painting schedule. Working on several large canvases at a time, Hoffman paints in a round-robin fashion, detailing one canvas while underpainting another.
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He also makes time daily for field sketching and study. This is not a difficult task since he lives on a pristine beach and any of his subjects can be observed from his studio window where some of his best compositions have been inspired. "Dolphins, pelicans, herons, sharks, rays and, on occasion, even right and humpback whales are regular visitors to the waters directly off my balcony", he says.
Hoffman, who is collected by art connoisseurs, sports fishermen and environmentalists alike, has several new projects on the drawing board. We are indeed fortunate to view the work of this dedicated artist, work which may endure longer than the threatened environment he paints.
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