Michael Novak was born in Los Angeles, and lived in New York City for ten years before moving to Portland in 2007—officially placing him in the category of “person most despised by native-born Portlanders.” Over a 20-year career, he’s been an editorial Art Director at Time Warner and Portland Monthly, as well as an illustrator, designer, animator, and storyboard artist. 

The highlight of Mike’s brief animation career was a year-long stint as a character layout animator on the Fox show King of The Hill, before he decided that drawing Hank Hill all day long was pretty damn boring. After the act of sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring put the kibosh on his freelance illustration career, he discovered design, which he loves.

His duties at Portland Monthly consist of making the magazine look and read awesomely, by designing covers, features, and pretty much anything else. In his free time he likes to sleep.

Scene & Heard

Bloody Valentine

Even the doom-and-gloom crowd can look for love at the Lovecraft Bar.

01/26/2012 By Georgia Perry

Mudroom

Rough Crossing

Morrison Bridge maintenance is mired in congestion.

12/23/2011 By Audrey Van Buskirk

Article

Five Questions For…Ancient Portland

The history of Portland goes much, much further back than you think. Lewis and Clark simply jumped on the bandwagon.

12/23/2011 By Martin Patail

Scene & Heard

Lucky Monday

Fun and new friends are an easy score at Bourbon and Bingo.

12/23/2011

Mudroom

The Perfect Party: January 2012

Richard Lariviere's hat, a sharpshooting lady Viking, and a revolutionary rooster earn seats at the table.

12/23/2011

Article

PDX Index: Minimum Wage

This month's figures look at the maximum impact of minimum wage.

12/22/2011 By Derek Pettie

Mudroom

PDX Index: Composting

It's not a waste of time to take note of these recycling numbers.

11/23/2011 By Meghan Ratliffe

Mudroom

Flavor Profile

At McMinnville's Fino In Fondo, the sausage is strictly Italian.

11/23/2011 By Vanessa Chang

Mudroom

Sagas of Scent

Scented gifts purchased at Portland's Perfume House come with a story.

11/23/2011 By Emily Burton

Scene & Heard

Shipping News

Take a look inside FedEx’s Troutdale nerve center.

11/23/2011 By Martin Patail

Cover Story

Relax: 50 Ways to Spoil Yourself This Season

For a season famous for good cheer, the holidays can prove pretty stressful. Fortunately, we've found 50 ways to soothe your soul (and mind, and body, and appetite) this winter.

11/18/2011 Edited by Kasey Cordell With Brian Barker, Zach Dundas, Rachel Ritchie, Martin Patail, Benjamin Tepler, Ramona DeNies, Ashleigh Westmoreland, Meghan Ratliffe, and Derek Pettie

Trail of the Month

Cape Horn

Get a gorgeous view of the Gorge from Cape Horn.

10/14/2011 By Brian Barker

Mudroom

Rebuilding the Male

Looking for an advantage in the job market? Consult your plastic surgeon.

10/14/2011 By Martin Patail

Mudroom

DIY Five

Joel Henriques’s fantastic finger puppets are coming for YOU!

10/14/2011 By Zach Dundas

Mudroom

So Happy Together

Portland businesses make ends meet through cooperation and cohabitation.

10/14/2011 By Eleanor R. Brown

Mudroom

Jump Start

D. B. Cooper: the last great western outlaw—and counter-culture icon.

10/14/2011 By Julian Smith

Trail of the Month

Ghost Lake

Ghost Lake: Where else would you hike in October?

09/21/2011 By Brian Barker

Mudroom

PDX Index: Halloween

How many zombies does it take … Oh, never mind! Halloween in Portland by the numbers.

09/21/2011 By Rebekah Roberson

Cover Story

Fall Getaways: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Fall was made for long weekends. As the sun settles lower and lower in our sky and thanksgiving comes into view on the horizon, there’s no better time to escape the city and savor the few quiet, crisp weekends of autumn.

09/19/2011 Edited by Kasey Cordell By Brian Barker, Zach Dundas, Rachel Ritchie, Martin Patail, and Eleanor R. Brown

COVER STORY

Go By: Automobile

Road trips with drives as dazzling as the destinations

09/19/2011 By Kelly Clarke and Rachel Ritchie