Michael Mcguire

Michael McGuire

Father, Artist, Teacher, Mentor

Michael C. McGuire, 76, of Ludlow, Kentucky, passed away October 13, 2019, surrounded by family. Born May 18, 1943, in Covington, Kentucky, Mike was the son of the late Roger McGuire and Dorothy (Boyd) McGuire. Mike is survived by his daughters Carey (Jeffrey) Warman, Rosie (Matthew) McAllister and Katie (Ryan) Augustin, brother Roger “Bud” McGuire, sisters Barbara Humphries and Rosemary McGuire, and loving grandchildren Fallon, Boyd, Teague, LoLo and Findlay.

After Mike was born, it didn’t take long for his family to realize he had a special gift for art. As he grew up in Florence, Kentucky, in the midst of hundreds of family apple trees, he was always drawing. He knew at a young age he wanted to make art his life.

As he grew, his gift grew, beyond what he could put on a canvas, to become a gift of teaching, mentoring and inspiring. After graduating from high school, Mike joined the Navy, where he was often invited to leave the ship to get a home-cooked meal in return for teaching painting to the Naval officers’ families.

After returning to Northern Kentucky, Mike attended Central Academy of Commercial Art in Cincinnati. He then taught at, and eventually bought and ran, the school (which he later renamed Cincinnati Academy of Design). There, he not only created the many advertising art and illustration programs that made the school a highly-respected and successful Cincinnati fixture, but he created a profound legacy, one that permeates the Cincinnati art community every day.

In his 36 years at the school, Mike instructed and inspired hundreds of graphic designers, illustrators and art directors who have gone on to work at some of the most prestigious agencies and studios in the world and win some of the most respected awards in the industry. Yet his influence was often felt so much deeper than just being an art teacher. Many of his former students describe him as one of the most influential people in their lives without ever mentioning the word “art.”

Mike spent personal time with all of his students, whether it was painting apples as a demonstration of light and shadow, or whether it was just taking the time to listen and understand what that student was really searching for in their life. Mike was always there for them. And even after Mike closed the school in 2004, the former students kept calling and writing and learning from their teacher.

After retiring, Mike couldn’t help himself but continue to teach. He worked several years at the Cincinnati Arts and Technology Studios, helping at-risk teens with personal responsibility, integrity and self worth, all through the transformative power of art, even creating an outdoor mural with them just outside of Longworth Hall near downtown Cincinnati.

Mike passionately supported the art and advertising communities and was a member of the Cincinnati Art Club for decades, including being the club’s president from 2003-2006. As an illustrator, he collaborated with top agencies on projects for clients like Procter & Gamble, United Dairy Farmers, AK Steel, Newport Aquarium and Mentos Candy. His work has been featured in magazines, newspapers, billboards and TV commercials. He was even commissioned to illustrate athletes and celebrities, including American icon Neil Armstrong and Reds Hall of Famer Barry Larkin.

Mike’s broad range of painting styles -- from the surprisingly photographic to the loose and romantic effects of plein air -- attests to his versatility and skill. His talent in his work was surpassed only by his heartfelt desire to mentor others in their artistic growth. The success of his monthly critique sessions at the Cincinnati Art Club are legendary and are a tribute to Mike’s spirit as a true educator.

Mike’s paintings, primarily in gouache, oil or watercolor, have been featured in gallery shows and in collections all over the country. He was even a painting member on the 2007 Historic Tombola at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Mike kept his studio in his beloved 1859 home in Ludlow, KY, where he lived, surrounded by art in every room, till September of this year.

But Mike’s true apples of his eye were his three daughters. They were often the subjects of his paintings as they were growing up, and even were models for a series of children’s books Mike illustrated that were published out of Chicago. Carey, Rosie and Katie all graduated from Mike’s school and have made successful careers in advertising art and design. Most of Mike’s final paintings were of his grandchildren, for his daughters.

Mike was known by his students for his gentle, caring and understanding guidance, not to mention some of his playful phrases, especially when inviting someone to sit down and join him in a conversation. When told of his passing, one former student appropriately suggested, “God must have told him to pull up a stump.”

Visitation is Saturday 12:30 PM and service begins at 1:30 PM at St. Patrick’s Church, 3285 Mills Rd., Taylor Mill, KY, 41015. Immediately following the service, please join us at Bircus Brewery, 322 Elm St., Ludlow, KY, 41016, for a celebration of Mike’s life.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND FLOWERS.

We’re requesting donations be made to a mural and scholarship fund to honor Mike’s legacy. To donate, go to: www.gofundme.com/mike-mcguire