Michael Gaines is a photographer, educator, and visual artist currently living in Boone, North Carolina, where he is an adjunct professor of art at Appalachian State University, as well as at Catawba Valley Community College and Lenoir-Rhyne University, both in located in Hickory, North Carolina. Hailing from Northern Virginia, Gaines was exposed to history, art, and architecture from an early age, all of which continue to inform and influence his work today. In 2004 he moved to Philadelphia, and it was here that his interest in photography was nurtured and flourished. After moving to North Carolina in 2016, he decided to go back to school in pursuit of a degree in photography, which has since expanded to include interests in alternative photographic processes and bookmaking. He received two Associates degrees from Central Piedmont Community College in 2018, his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Appalachian State University in 2021, and his Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art from East Carolina University in 2024.

 

As well as being an artist, Gaines is an avid historian and for over 30 years has been researching the life of beer baron, philanthropist and inventor Robert Portner, the history of his brewery, and the history of his summer home Annaburg. He has written two books, spoken at several symposiums, and curated a museum exhibit on the subject, and serves as a consultant to on-going restoration and rehabilitation efforts at Annaburg.