About michael callahan

Michael finds the world fascinating. Since childhood he has been susceptible to being swept away into his imagination. Film, literature, performance, painting, landscape, architecture, music… Michael finds himself transported and captivated by all forms of expression. He has spent a lifetime chasing these interests. Michael loves finding and accumulating books. He cuts into a topic, begins building a knowledge base, marinates in the new information, and then ultimately follows the book-worming phase with action. He takes what he learns from execution, returns to the beginning, collects more text, imagines more deeply, and again returns to action and output. That’s the process.

Performance, art, and design are the three primary areas that Michael has pursued since his small town eighties childhood in Northeastern Colorado. He launched IMAGINE TOYS in 1995 on the back of his design of a large scale toy wooden Conestoga Wagon. He has worked as a professional magician since 1997. Michael produced his first avant guard theater production in 2004 and created 2nd Story Comedy in 2008. He has painted as a watercolor and acrylic artist since 2014 and opened the MJ CALLAHAN GALLERY in 2023. Recently, Michael has begun designing Keshiki Bonsai and designed a Japanese Garden for the grounds of the Carnegie Art Center in Mankato, MN.