Michael Dee Cookinham (American, 1942-2015)

Michael Cookinham dedicated over 50 years to teaching art, both privately and publicly. He was a revered instructor at Merritt College in Oakland, CA, and also imparted his wisdom at the DeYoung Museum Art School.

Marc Ellen Hamel, a Bay Area artist, recalls her transformative experience with him: “I found a mentor in artist/teacher Michael Cookinham at the DeYoung Museum Art School and continued critique sessions with his MICA group for 10 years thereafter. He showed us how to look at painting—our own and others—and to think about what is happening on the canvas.”

Cookinham’s academic journey was equally impressive. He earned both his BA and MFA from San Francisco State University, completing his MFA in 1973 and his BA in 1970. His studies were enriched by international experiences, including a year at the University of Pau in France (1962) and an AFS Scholarship to France in 1959.

In 1999, Michael began teaching the Saturday Painting class at Merritt College, further cementing his legacy as a passionate educator and mentor.