Throughout his time as a student at SCAD, contemporary painter Michael Thrush (M.F.A., painting, 2002) refined the intention behind his work, focusing on individual identity and the psychology of popular culture. Before attending SCAD, Thrush, a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, worked at local sign shops and expanded the use of font in his art. He also spent time as a silk-screen apprentice at the Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and as an industrial and faux finish painter. In 2003, he began working as an adjunct professor at The Art Institute of Atlanta, Georgia, where he spent several years. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Florida; Gallery Alexy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the Steve Martin Fine Art gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana; and the Alexandria Museum of Art, Louisiana, among other venues. Thrush earned a B.F.A. from the Temple University Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1997. He currently lives and works as a full-time painter in Decatur, Georgia.