Reflection:

I learned about Mike Henderson in 2018, and since then I’ve had the fortune of meeting him, spending time in his studio space, and attending one of his openings at the Manetti Shrem Museum at UC Davis, as well as his film screening at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. In the process of putting this video together, I got to take a deep dive into Mike’s life, and his story of resilience and love could not have come at a better time. I couldn’t fit all of Mike’s life into a two-minute video (I didn’t even mention the 1985 studio fire that damaged or destroyed all of Mike’s work in his collection at the time), but I hope I succeeded in showing a breadth of his vast talents, and the wonderful human being behind it all. Mike Henderson is unpretentious about his long list of accomplishments, and at 82 years old, he is still full of life and making art every day.

  This was not my first time attempting a project like this, and I enjoyed the process even more the second time around. I find it very satisfying to figure out how to put images, sound, and speech together in a way that flows with interest. I will definitely be using these digital tools in the future to create work of my own, and to showcase the work of students in my classroom. I am grateful to Laurie Gatlin for making this the first project of the semester, it feels like I’m off to a running start!

Script:

“Mike Henderson was born in a segregated southern town. He grew up in a broken and often abusive home, struggled with dyslexia, and eventually dropped out of high school. By all accounts, he had every reason to give up—every reason to be bitter, to close himself off from people.

But that’s not who Mike is. Instead, he became one of the most open, generous, and inspiring artists you’ll ever meet. He’s serious about his work, yet playful in his spirit. He meets people where they are—no matter who they are—and treats everyone with respect. And through it all, he makes his art, telling his story to anyone willing to listen.

That story is one of discovery, transformation, and resilience. At the age of 20, Mike went back to high school to finish what he had started. Around the same time, he faced heartbreak—he and his brother were on the verge of landing a record deal when tragedy struck: his brother died of an overdose.

Even with these setbacks, Mike never stopped creating. He went on to build a remarkable career as a painter, filmmaker, musician, and teacher. From 1970 until 2013, he taught at UC Davis, shaping generations of students. He had planned to retire in 2015, but when he witnessed students being pepper-sprayed during protests on campus in 2011, he decided enough was enough. He stepped away then, on his own terms.

Mike Henderson’s life and work are proof of what’s possible when you trust yourself, embrace your voice, and keep moving forward—no matter where you start.”

Images and videos were sourced from the following people, places and publucations:

“Mike Henderson Before the Fire, 1965-1985”.  University of California Press.  Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art

“Mike Henderson Recent Paintings.  November 17 - December 24, 1992”.  Haines Gallery.

Haines Gallery, San Francisco,

Vonn Cummings Sumner,

Keisha Kidd,

Robert Divers Herrick,

George Auxier,

Youtube terrydatiger,

And Mike Henderson