Artist Digest: Mike Henderson

Mike Henderson
Artist Digest
Conversations
- "If I can be better at anything I do—being a parent, husband, painter, or human being—that's what I'm focused on. How it all fits together, that's for historians."
  
  Artist Christopher Williams talks with Mike Henderson in his San Leandro studio, ahead of his 2019 exhibition at his alma mater, the San Francisco Art Institute.
- "I said to myself, “Okay, Mike, now it’s time to make social awareness a part of breathing in and breathing out."
  
  It Doesn't Come Overnight: Qianjin Montoya interviews Mike Henderson for SFMOMA's Open Space
Studio Visit

KQED visits Mike Henderson in his Oakland studio, and at UC Davis, where he taught for over 40 years before retiring in 2013.
Works
- Mike Henderson
  Between Dreams and Truth Again, 2023
  Oil on canvas
  72 x 60 inches
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EBetween%20Dreams%20and%20Truth%20Again%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2023%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EOil%20on%20canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E72%20x%2060%20inches%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  After Image, 2023
  Oil on Canvas
  24 x 20 inches
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EAfter%20Image%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2023%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EOil%20on%20Canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E24%20x%2020%20inches%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  Signals to Enjoy or Ignore, 2023
  Oil on canvas
  24 x 18 inches
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESignals%20to%20Enjoy%20or%20Ignore%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2023%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EOil%20on%20canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E24%20x%2018%20inches%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  Sunday Before, 2023
  Oil on Canvas
  24 x 20 inches
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ESunday%20Before%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E2023%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EOil%20on%20Canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E24%20x%2020%20inches%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  Cleopatra and Champ, 1980
  Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
  67.25 x 57.5 inches
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ECleopatra%20and%20Champ%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1980%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EAcrylic%20and%20mixed%20media%20on%20canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E67.25%20x%2057.5%20inches%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  Cloud Nine, 1977
  Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
  54 x 100 inches
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ECloud%20Nine%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1977%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EAcrylic%20and%20mixed%20media%20on%20canvas%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E54%20x%20100%20inches%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  Untitled, 1977
  Mixed media on paper
  15.5 x 21.25 inches, framed
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EUntitled%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1977%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EMixed%20media%20on%20paper%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E15.5%20x%2021.25%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
- Mike Henderson
  Untitled, 1978
  Mixed media on paper
  23.5 x 32 inches, framed
  
  Inquire
  
  %3Cdiv%20class%3D%22artist%22%3EMike%20Henderson%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EUntitled%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1978%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EMixed%20media%20on%20paper%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E23.5%20x%2032%20inches%3Cspan%20class%3D%22comma%22%3E%2C%20%3C/span%3Eframed%3C/div%3E
Critic's Corner
The Dialectical Journey of Mike Henderson

by David M. Roth
ARTIST'S PICKS

Music

"These are things I listen to when I'm painting: Miles Davis' In a Silent Way and Kind of Blue. Bob James' Espresso. Ma Rainey. Bessie Smith. Lonnie Johnson. Sunnyland Slim. Jascha Heifetz. And occasionally, Garbage and Juvenile. Practicing guitar and listening to the practice. Lectures on tape from The Great Courses series, like Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories & Tragedies. Ruth Draper and her Company of Characters."
From the Vault

Watch Mike Henderson and William T. Wiley's 1983 performance at San Francisco's Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Mike Henderson speaks to the San Francisco Chronicle about the fire that destroyed hist studio, and changed the course of his work. Explore images from a life spent in San Francisco.
BACK TO ARTIST PAGE