Artist Mike Major, a long-time resident of Champaign County, will appear at an art opening and book signing to be held at the Champaign County Arts Council, 119 Miami St. in Urbana on Friday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Major will speak about his book, “Ink, Paint and Bronze” at 2 p.m.

In over 40 years as a full-time artist, Major has completed over 200 bronze sculptures, published 14 books of drawings and was honored by the Ohio Legislature for his service as Ohio’s first artist in residence for the Ohio Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts. His home and studio have been featured on HGTV and he has been a guest on NPR.

His book shares keys to finding the path to creative freedom. He said, “One of the biggest obstacles for artists is lack of confidence. I’m on a mission to encourage creative people of all ages to be more productive and to thrive.”

The book is full of real-life stories about his career as an artist and shares nine uplifting values intended to help others find the path to creative freedom. It also has numerous photos of his drawings, paintings and bronze sculptures along with descriptions of the commissions and creative process. It is available in paperback, hardback, kindle and soon as an audio book on Amazon as well as at the arts council.

The book, and Major’s prolific body of work, have received critical acclaim:

“… Mike Major’s art has breathed life into so many urban landscapes, creating a visual context for the historic events that matter deeply to the communities where the monuments stand,” said Kevin Rose, historian for the Turner Foundation.

“Mike Major’s remarkable career, recounted through his candid and heart-warming stories … provides the reader with a spark to discover a deeply personal longing for practicing creativity in our own lives,” said Marta Wojcik, Director of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott House.