Artist Journey
Michael Standefer is a self-taught artist merging 60 years of professional woodworking with a deep appreciation for a wide range of art mediums and styles. Over the years, he has been represented by galleries across Northern California—from Carmel, Monterey, and Sausalito to San Francisco.
Michael's early creative work began with glass, ceramics, and mosaics, which became the foundation of his artistic journey. Between 1978 and 1987, he trained at a stained glass studio in San Francisco and produced over 175 flat-panel windows. This evolved into Flying Rooster Glass Works—a series of sculptural stained glass weather vanes featuring roosters, mermaids, and abstracted windblown forms.
In 1983, Michael's mother introduced him to stone carving. He quickly learned the medium wasn’t for him—too much noise, dust, and the physical demands of maneuvering 200–400 lbs blocks of marble, slate, and onyx around a filthy garage. Still, the experience added depth to his understanding of form and material.
During 20 years of European travel, Michael found himself pulled into every major museum he passed. Sculpture began to move to the forefront of his appreciation, and he developed a strong affinity for antiques and surrealism. For the past ten years, he has focused almost exclusively on sculptural mixed-media artworks—creating surreal, layered assemblages with dolls, mannequins, skulls, fabric, found objects, and raw emotion. This is where his creativity feels most alive—strange, intentional, and unfiltered.
When Michael isn't creating something of my own, he's also on the hunt to work in a collaborative effort with other artist friends.
We hope you enjoy the work and should you desire to see or purchase additional pieces please visit the gallery!
The gallery will gladly consign for sale previously collected art and heirlooms.
How He Works
For the most part, Michael works alone- having learned to be comfortable without much conversation- in the absence of such distraction and feeling a forced need to respond; he's inspired to create new friends and acquaintances that he believes appreciate my silence.
However, they do communicate and share vague conviviality when exhibited to strangers.
Seriously though, he's happy working alone outside the range of helpful critics, until the piece is done.
In the end, the artwork speaks for itself.