Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Israel.
Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve spent over 25 years as a live performance artist, creating large-scale paintings on stage in front of live audiences — corporate events, galas, private engagements. What started as a way to bring energy and surprise into a room grew into something bigger: Works4Charity, a program where I donate my performance fee to nonprofits and the painting is auctioned live to raise funds for them. To date it’s raised over $10 million for more than 100 nonprofits. I’ve painted for U.S. Presidents, Fortune 500 companies, and organizations like Susan G. Komen — but the moments I care about most are the ones where a piece of art turns into a life-changing gift for a cause.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No creative business is smooth. Building a program like Works4Charity meant convincing event organizers that a $0-fee performance model could still deliver real value — and then proving it, event after event, until the results spoke for themselves. The hardest part was staying consistent long enough for reputation to do the selling.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
google “michael israel artist” or visit michaelisrael.com
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The biggest lesson: the art is never really the point — it’s the moment and the story around it. A painting means far more to a room when they watched it happen live and know where the proceeds are going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://michaelisrael.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelisraelart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelIsraelArtist
- Twitter: https://x.com/Michaelisrael1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelIsraelArt
