Michael
is proud to call himself a local Yuma artist. He retired from the Navy after 20 years of service in October 2007 and came
to Yuma with his beautiful wife Amy and his vivacious son Keegan to set down roots. He is an award-winning pen & ink artist. He has been working in
the pen & ink media for the last 20 years utilizing various pens, nibs, inks and techniques all the while developing
his own unique style with the media. Mr Obney is a self-taught artist in the pen & ink media but has
also trained in various arts education venues. In October 2003 he traveled to Fort George G. Meade, MD and attended the Defense
Information School enrolled in the Multimedia Illustrator Course, instruction and training that is reserved for Navy photographers
and illustrators from the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force. He worked in the mechanical skills with several media: graphite,
pen & ink, pastels, charcoals and watercolors as well as studies in principals of design and color theory.
He went on to the advanced portion of the course studying graphic design, page design and web design in Photoshop, Illustrator
and In Design. In December 2003 he received an Honor Student Award for Academic Excellence. Michael graduated from Defense
Information School in February 2004 earning a Professional Diploma, Multimedia Illustrator. In April 2006, he completed an
8,000 illustrator apprenticeship program becoming a US. Department of Labor registered Journeyman Illustrator.
Michael has
received several awards and accolades for his art: from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 he was twice awarded the Navy Achievement
Medal, one of the highest peace time decorations, Letter of Appreciation from Electronic Attack Squadron 133, Letter of Appreciation
from the Yuma County Humane Society are just a few. He has also shown in four juried art shows aboard USS Ronald Reagan
