Michael Ward

www.tmichaelward.com

1. What character in a movie or book do you most identify with?

Ralphie in The Christmas Story. Always wanted that 100-shot Air Rifle.

2. What do you do to relax?

Paint! Other than that I like talking walks, reading, doing sudoku (my vice).

3. Favorite vacation spot?

Puerto Vallarta. Great food, great weather, wonderful people, and we get to room for free with my mother-in-law. Second would be Paris.

4. Where haven't you been that you're dying to go?

Buenos Aires, and Cuba.

5. What’s your next major goal in life?

To be able to paint full time.

6. Who had the biggest influence on your life?

My aunt who raised me up to the age of 12. She let me run free across the wilds of Montana that were my backyard at the time and encouraged my artistic sensibilities when I was still at the crayon stage.

7. Favorite drink?

Tequila martini

8. Favorite restaurants in Orange County?

Angotei in Costa Mesa, El Chinaco (for their fish burrito), Abe Sushi in Newport, Peking Restaurant in Westminster (hole in the wall place with the best pot stickers this side of Hong Kong), Xanh Bistro in Fountain Valley.

9. Last major purchase?

Bought my neighbor's Honda Accord when she upgraded to a Lexus. Great car--I'm not giving it back!

10. Dumbest investment?

Bought 100 shares of a company called Vuebotics because they had a cool-looking annual report. It promptly went to zero.

11. A famous person you would love to meet?

The Dalai Lama

12. Biggest accomplishment?

Developing my skills as an artist without any formal training or mentors, just encouragement from friends and family.

13. What's your biggest fear?

That I won't be able to accomplish everything in this life that I want to.

14. Who are your favorite artists?

There are so many. Vermeer, Robert Estes, Van Gogh, to name more than one.

15. If you had to begin a different career, what would you do?

Be an international travel writer and restaurant critic.

16. Secret most people don’t know about you?

That I have a great sense of humor.

17. Who is your favorite fictional character?

Not quite fictional, but Herman Melville's character in Typee. He wanted to throw it all over to become the consort of the Queen of Tahiti. Fortunately for literature she turned him down.

18. Your biggest extravagance?

Traveled to Washington DC in the middle of a blizzard to see the Vermeer show at the National Gallery. The entire city was shut down at the time.

19. What's your favorite CD?

Lust for Life by Iggy Pop

20. What was the best day in your life?

Going up in a hot air balloon in Tuscany. Had to drive like hell at 5am to get to the takeoff point, then got thrown in a gondola with a bunch of German balloonists who spoke hardly any English. Landed in a cornfield and had my hair set on fire by the Germans, then doused with champagne (some sort of first-timer ritual, they said). A perfect day!