Our dear friend, Micah Schwaberow passed away at his home in Santa Rosa, California on July 12, 2022.
Since we met Micah about nine years ago, he was a part of just about all of our best memories and adventures. He was a constant presence in the gallery when we were in San Juan Bautista, he traveled to France with us, we hiked all around the Big Sur Coast and he spent time with us in Yosemite, hosting other artists. Micah’s exuberance was infectious – we often found ourselves piling into the car to chase clouds or to witness an amazing sunset at the coast. He also taught us not to take ourselves too seriously…try to imagine us skipping down the beach if you can.
His capacity for “silly” was countered by his capacity for serious study. Countless hours were spent carefully examining works by other artists in the gallery and on our adventures. “Did you see this – it’s amazing!”…and he would tell us why. And we learned to look at things differently. He has touched our lives in a way that will never be forgotten and we will miss him always.
We last saw Micah in April at the Codex Book Fair and although he was already sick, he extended his stay to take it all in. He was sustained by the beauty, creativity and craftsmanship he saw there. Those are qualities he strove for throughout his career, adhering to the old traditions of woodblock printmaking, but making it his own. To watch him work was a study in careful attention, patience and hard work. For inspiration, Micah looked to the edges of things… the places where sea and sky come together – earth and water. He was brilliant with color transitions and carving his wooden blocks to layer and blend into something much more than their separate parts.
What a great gift it was for us know him
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