Constantly moving from metropolis to metropolis and beingexposed to all types of art and entertainment while growing upopened many opportunities for October’s Farnham Art Galleryexhibitor.

Michael Barile is a graphic designer and photographer whose workwill be featured in Farnham Gallery from Oct. 4-27. Barile has hisfather to thank for his passion for the arts.

“My father is a big lover of the arts,” Barile said. “When I wasyoung, our family entertainment was to visit art galleries, thetheatre, symphonies, anything dealing with the arts. It was thisexposure that made me fall in love with it all.”

Barile entered the Kansas City Institute of Art and School ofDesign intent on sculpting.

He realized that his path was leading him into graphic designand photography instead.

In 1965, Barile was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War as acombat photographer during his junior year of college. Theexperience was life-changing according to Barile. He said it helpedhim develop skills he may not have discovered had he not gone.

“Education is interesting,” Barile said. “It doesn’t prepare youfor real life because you don’t have a clue how to solve realproblems. The truth is you have to have real life experiences tolearn.”

Currently, Barile is the president of M/Barile Acumen, where hedeals with businesses looking for art that resembles what thecompany is marketing. Barile also compiles many personal piecesthat display his life and thought.

“We wanted to showcase Barile’s work because it is verydiverse,” said Justin Nostrala, assistant professor of art. “Hepractices a variety of styles and his work has such a richcomplexity.”

Because he has no one direction in art, he offers noexpectations for his viewers.

“It is not just about viewing the work, it’s mainly the idea ofexposure,” Barile said. “The only reason I want the students totake an opportunity to survey my work is to let it influence themin terms of finding their own direction.”

Barile will be on campus Monday, Oct. 4 from 6-8 p.m. conductinga Simpson Forum event.

“I think it is valuable to have him come to campus, and I thinkthe students could learn some valuable lessons from him,” saidCrystal VanDeCasteele, Farnham student assistant. “Simpson is aliberal arts college and every student should have a little sliceof every area.”