Michael Brennan grew up “always drawing.” By the third grade, he was fascinated by oil painting and drawing. A Salvador Dali art book became one of Michael’s first resources as a budding young artist sealing his love of art.
For Michael, the origin of a painting or mural might begin with a simple sketch on a cocktail napkin. Each idea gets to “work its way through” his brain as he obsesses over an evolving concept. Such obsession eventually brings the parts into a single whole, as Michael tinkers with the construction, painting and other design elements of a piece till the work reaches fruition.
Diners in many multi-faceted restaurants have been able to appreciate Michael’s paintings, murals and creative designs. Initial interest came from the prolific California “culinary entrepreneur” Pat Kuleto, who commissioned Michael’s art for his Farallon and Jardinire restaurants. Kuleto recognizes that design is powerful: “From the moment you walk in, the way a restaurant looks, smells and feels significantly affects your mood and influences your enjoyment. Design indelibly colors your entire dining experience. You consume the design with every bite of the food.”
Michael has been recognized nationally for his restaurant designs including Esquire Magazine, for George Morrone’s Tartare restaurant, one of the top restaurants of 2004; Bon Appetit Magazine for his work on Hotel Rex, San Francisco Magazine, and DFL (Design For Living) which Michael was recognized for his Tartare design. His repertoire includes more than 40 restaurant projects in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Napa, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. His mural commissions include extraordinary work in the Oakland Arena, Metreon in San Francisco, and the Park La Brae in Los Angeles.
As Michael’s body of work has grown, his art can be experienced in private, corporate and museum collections worldwide. Clients have included Ann & Gordon Getty, O.J. & Gary Shansby, who sponsored Michael and his “Heart” design for the San Francisco Hearts project in 2004 and the Napa Valley Museum of Contemporary Art.
Father of son, Perry, Michael’s vision is driven by “following the great painters” as well as the works of Lucien Freud, Wayne Thiebaud, and Gerard Richter.
CLIENT LIST
MADCAP – San Anselmo
FIRST EDITION – Oakland
RICKEYS – Novato
MARKET TAVERN – Dublin, Ca.
BIERHAUS – Oakland
CURIO – San Francisco
SHAMBHALA – San Francisco
MARIN PIZZA – Corte Madera
KINJO – San Francisco
RUSTED MULE – San Francisco
NIGHTHAWK – Redwood City
TOY SOLDER – San Francisco
WAY STATION – Berkeley
IJJI – San Francisco
COURT HOUSE – Redwood City
PRIME TABLE – Stockton
CAPUTO – San Francisco
HOUSE RULES – San Francisco
BOCA CORTE – Madera
EMPIRE – Napa
FREE HOUSE – Berkeley
BLACKSMITH – Redwood City
EDDIE RICKENBACKER – San Francisco
DR. TEETH – San Francisco
MARKET TAVERN – Stockton
WILD HARE – San Francisco
CMPUS – San Francisco
SODA POPINSKI – San Francisco
DIXIE – San Franciso
MOONRAKER – Pacifica
BUFFALO CLUB – San Francisco
PUERTO 27 – Pacifica
GAME – San Francisco
FRESCA – San Francisco, Pacifica DISH N’DASH – Cupertino, Milpitas, San Jose