About Us
My name is Michael Daugherty. I opened Isalos Fine Art in Stonington, Maine in 2003 with my wife, Rebecca Daugherty. I run the business, but artistic direction is heavily influenced by Rebecca. On most days, someone asks me if I’m one of the artists, and I’m happy to tell them I’m not. Running the gallery is a full-time job. Being an artist is a full-time job.
I studied Creative Writing at Roger Williams College, earned my B.A. in Liberal Arts at Goddard College, and my M.F.A. from the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop. During this time, I’ve kept up an interest in the art of others. I bought my first paintings when I was nineteen, and in the mid-1980’s I worked at a gallery in California. I met Rebecca in 1988 at about the same time I saw her paintings.
Over the years I've made my living at the typical odd progression of jobs that writers once bragged about on their dust jackets, supposedly because it gave them worldly experience. You know: carpenter, short order cook, etcetera, except my list is much weirder than that. What those bios say to me is that this person had to spend a lot of time not writing, not living the dream. 'Art gallery director' may be another entry on my list, but it somehow feels more significant than being the guy who dresses up as Twinkie the Kid and hands-out goodies to terrified children in supermarkets (I only did it for a day or two). Plus, I'm helping a few artists live their dreams, and that's not bad.
It should be obvious that I don't have one particular set of aesthetic guidelines, but I'm most interested in hard-working contemporary artists who are dedicated to their process and continue to evolve artistically. We get very positive feedback from our visitors, and I'm proud of the gallery and the artists whose work we show.
My apologies to people who make their living by dressing up as Twinkies or any other food products.