Michael James is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Nigeria, now based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for his hyperrealistic pencil drawings, Michael also explores a unique second medium—mosaic portraits made from electronic waste.

His drawings, created with nothing more than pencil and paper, serve as a deeply personal outlet for emotion and expression, and a connection with nature. Whether inspired by societal issues or internal reflections, each piece is a way of translating the creativity in his mind onto the page. Through his drawings, Michael captures the raw, unfiltered essence of thought and feeling turning them into visual stories that connect with the viewer on an emotional level.

His work with e-waste is both artistic and environmental: by repurposing discarded electronics such as motherboards, keyboards, and game controllers, he draws attention to the often-overlooked issue of electronic waste. In an age of rapid technological consumption, his mosaics serve as a bold statement—transforming obsolete devices into powerful visual narratives.

Through both graphite and circuitry, Michael challenges viewers to see beauty in the discarded and to reconsider what we define as waste.