Michael Pearce is an artist and Professor of Figurative Drawing and Painting at California Lutheran University. He founded the Representational Art Conference in 2012, which he continues to organize.   

In this interview, we discuss how avant-garde art was tied to politics throughout history, whether beauty is objective, and why skill-based art is so crucial. We also briefly discuss the issue of statues being defaced and toppled.   

Find Michael at the following links:  

Website: http://gildedraven.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gildedraven 

Documentary on Imaginative Realism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrHZAU_CrkM