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.

Editor's Note

Personal Bests

With this month's issue, we present our first “best of the city” feature in almost four years.

04/27/2012 By Randy Gragg

RECIPES

Spring-Fresh Recipes

With the farmers markets back in full swing, we offer five recipes from local chefs and farmers for making magic out of seasonal bounty.

04/27/2012 By Benjamin Tepler

Mudroom

The Contenders

Which cities want to steal Portland’s culinary crown?

03/23/2012 By Will Lambeth

Mudroom

The Perfect Party: April 2012

The guests we’d most like at our dinner table this month.

03/23/2012 Edited by Zach Dundas

Mudroom

The Perfect Party: March 2012

The guests we’d most like at our dinner table this month

02/24/2012 Edited by Zach Dundas

Mudroom

Brazil Bonanza

For many Portland businesses, a vital new frontier dances to a samba beat.

02/24/2012 By Zach Dundas

Plantwise

Spring Ahead!

02/24/2012 Edited by Zach Dundas By Kate Bryant

RISE & DINE!

Portland's Best Baked Goods

Baked goods worth an early-morning alarm

02/23/2012 Edited by Rachel Ritchie By Karen Brooks

Rise & Dine!

Portland’s Best Biscuits

02/23/2012 Edited by Rachel Ritchie and Karen Brooks By Benjamin Tepler

Mudroom

PDX Index: March Madness

02/23/2012 Edited by Zach Dundas By Will Lambeth

Pour

Cold Comfort

A local distiller gives coffee a spirited boost.

01/26/2012 By John Chandler

Trail of the Month

EasyClimb Trail

Mountain Biking | 2 miles (loop configuration) | Rating: Easy to Moderate

01/26/2012 By Brian Barker

Mudroom

Five Questions For… David Wolman

The Portland author’s new book, The End of Money, argues that cash should vanish.

01/26/2012 By Zach Dundas

Mudroom

PDX INDEX: Kids & Hospitals

01/26/2012 By Kate Moening

Mudroom

The Perfect Party: February 2012

The guests we’d most like at our dinner table this month.

01/26/2012

Mudroom

Education Equation

With a bold school revival plan, Portland experiments for the whole state.

01/26/2012 By Martin Patail

Scene & Heard

Bloody Valentine

Time & place: “Unhappy Hour” at the Lovecraft Bar

01/26/2012 By Georgia Perry

Mudroom

Rough Crossing

How the Morrison became our own bridge to nowhere.

12/23/2011 By Audrey Van Buskirk

Article

Five Questions For…Ancient Portland

The 1,700 followers of the Twitter wit known as @ancientportland know the Rose City goes back thousands of years. For everyone else, we probed the basics.

12/23/2011 By Martin Patail

Scene & Heard

Lucky Monday

The event: Bingo & Bourbon night at the Woods

12/23/2011