Mike Moreno

As a child, Mike (aka Myke Skyé) was influenced by traveling carnivals and circuses, which opened his mind to artistic illusion and fantasy. His influences included artists Keith Haring, Salvador Dali, Leonardo da Vinci and many global artists, to many to name. 

He is also into exploring and experiencing the arts of the many legendary, historic and contemporary Latinx/Mexican/Hispano/a artists. Not to mention his interests in the ancient Aztec and Maya cultures. 

His art contains concepts related to fantastic alternative universes that exist outside our forced reality and he incorporates the cosmic wavelength of Disco music into his art to empower it. Art to Mike, is a reflection of the social, sexual and spiritual issues that we all encounter daily and he inter-relates those experiences as a Queer person living with HIV/AIDS into his art.

Working in mixed media is his preferred choice and he utilizes art techniques in tune with his New Mexican heritage, which intertwines the unique Mexican, Native American, and Spanish/New Mexican cultural influences he grew up with. He has been creating art for over 35 years and besides exhibiting in New Mexico, he has also exhibited in many other cities across the U.S. 

Mike has also worked for over 45 years as a teacher, artist, student, coach, community organizer, and activist. Some of those highlights include:

*In 1987, he helped co-found “VIVA”, a Los Angeles non-profit organization that worked to discover, empower, and promote Latino/a LGBTQIA Artists. Even after its closure, VIVA has remained a catalyst for many artists. 

*His work as an artist and activist is documented and/or referenced in several publications by author Robb Hernández, including;

"The Fire of Life,"---2009

"VIVA Records 1970- 2000,"---2013

"Archiving an Epidemic" ---2019

 "Mundos Alternos- Art & Science Fiction In The Americas," 2017- by Hernández, Stallings & Szupinska-Myers. 

All the above were published  by the University of California, Riverside.

*One of his notable art pieces is the what he calls, "The Third Eye of Cyclona," The Robert “Cyclona” Legorreta Headdress was re-create by Mike as part of the 2017 Pacific Standard Time exhibit, “Mundos Alternos” at UCR ARTSBlock in Riverside, California. The exhibit also traveled to the Queens Museum in New York for exhibition in 2019.

*The Cyclona piece along with some of his other work were also exhibited at the National Hispanic Cultural Center as part of the "Mundos Alternos: Art & Science Fiction in the Americas" exhibit Albuquerque, NM 2022-2023.

*The recreated Cyclona art piece has since been donated to The National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, N.M., and resides in their archives along with several other of his art works. 

*Mike's personal archives are also part of the One Center Archive at the University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA., where the original 1990 Cyclona Headdress resides..

*His most recent community work includes developing and coordinating the 2019 Belen Street Banner Art Competition for the Belen Main Street Partnership in Belen, New Mexico. This successful project featured over 25 local artists. 

*And although unsuccessful, he also ran for City Council in Belen. He was the first openly Gay and HIV Positive person to run for office in Belen.

*His extensive community organizing experience includes serving as the National Volunteer Coordinator for the AIDS Memorial Quilt/ San Francisco CA. from 1994 to 1997, 

*Serving as the Volunteer Director for the following: The Japanese American National Museum/ Los Angeles, CA. 1997, AIDS Project/ Atlanta, GA, 2000, Los Angeles Shanti, L.A. CA.  2003. 

*Served as the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center Youth Talk/Helpline/Support Group Coordinator/ L.A.Ca. 1990-1992. 

*One of his memorable highlights was serving as a swim coach for the Special Olympics Swim Team at the former Los Lunas Hospital & Training School/ Los Lunas, N.M. 1979- 1982.

His career as an activist and community organizer includes working with many other organizations, to many to name.

After retiring, Mike moved back to New Mexico where he continues his work as an artist and most recently started writing zines and is in the process of writing a fictional autobiography.

In case your wondering , Mike also goes by the name Myke Skyé. He created the name Myke Skyé in 1991 as a way to honor his Apache roots and he sometimes inter changes his name given name with Myke Skyé to honor his multi-cultural heritage.

Besides all of that the above he still finds the time to go out with friends to dance to the old disco beats when he finds the opportunity.