The Biography of
Michael Cirelli
Michael Cirelli was born a twin.
Michael’s passion for art began as a child. He spent hours
drawing anything that crossed his path ranging from still
life, people, animals and things of his own imagining. The
love of drawing led him to take up painting at Suffield
Academy, a private high school located in Suffield,
Connecticut. Growing up, Cirelli had been exposed to
photography in part to his father’s love for the art;
however he did not take up photography until he was
seventeen years old. Although he found photography
appealing, he continued to concentrate on his oil
paintings.
Following his graduation from Suffield Academy, Cirelli
enrolled at Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) located in
Cleveland, Ohio, with the intent to major in painting. As
fate took its court, Cirelli decided to major in
photography. While in his third year as a photography major
at CIA, Cirelli was able to take advantage of the schools
mobility program, which enabled him to study at Parsons
School of Design in New York City. Parson’s philosophy of
giving its students space and time to find themselves as
artists meant that Cirelli was given warehouse space to act
as a studio, the mandate to prepare for a show in six
months, and little other guidance. It was during that time
Cirelli found an internship at the Polaroid 20x24 Studio,
home to a famously large camera that weighs 225 pounds and
measures five feet tall. There are only five such cameras
that exist in the world, and the chance to work with such a
large photographic canvas attracts photographers from
across the country. During the internship, Cirelli had the
opportunity to work with well-known photographers such as
William Wegman, Chuck Close, Lyle Ashton Harris, Joyce
Tennison, David Leventhal and Mary Ellen Mark. The subject
matter was quite diverse, ranging from Pop Art taken by
William Wegman to more severe portraits photographed by
Mary Ellen Mark of the Time and Warner families.
Curiosity around the world of magazine photography and
publishing eventually led Cirelli to pursue that realm of
the business. In order to explore this interest, Cirelli
worked for Maxim Magazine and Maxim Online as an associate
Photo Editor, but soon realized his passion was in fine
arts. Soon thereafter, Cirelli received tenure, teaching
photography full-time in New Hampshire at Merrimack High
School. Throughout Cirelli's many different professional
experiences, he has continued to exhibit is his artwork
across the country. He has exhibited his work extensively
in New Hampshire, Ohio, and New York City. Cirelli's
photography projects have also made headlines on National
Public Radio and over a half dozen newspapers nationwide.
In addition to this, Cirelli has an ongoing photography
partnership with Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT), where he has received a research grant to continue
the exploration of his two passions: photography and
teaching.
Teaching is a job that fosters
him as an artist. When away from the classroom, Cirelli is
able to concentrate on his own work while using the school
year for inspiration and energy he gets from his students.
Painting still remains an interest, as Cirelli looks to
paintings for inspiration. In addition to to teaching,
Cirelli freelances for commercial magazines, book
publishers, design firms and has become one of New
Hampshire’s leading event and wedding photographers. His
wedding photography has received raving reviews at the
weddingchannel.com and theknot.com. His work continues to
win awards as well. His photography won Best of Show at the
New Hampshire Institute of Art Biennial exhibition and was
voted one of the top 10 best art exhibits in 2003 for the
state of New Hampshire by HIPPO Press. In 2006 Cirelli was
juried into the members show at the PRC (photographic
resource center in Boston ,MA) which was juried by PDN’s
photo editor Jeanine Fijol. After seeing Cirelli
photographs in the exhibition, Jeanine Fijol asked Cirelli
to submit his work for PDN’S 30. All though he was not
selected as a finalist, Cirelli was honored by the
invitation. In 2007-08 Cirelli started to photograph the
recent primary and presidential elections. Being a resident
of the New Hampshire, Cirelli was able to photograph Barack
and Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Hillary and Chelsea
Clinton, John Edwards and John McCain.
For more info on what Michael Cirelli is up too, click on
the Blog section located on the left.