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.

Mudroom

Car-Free Crossing

Portland’s new light-rail bridge, explained

06/22/2012 By Martin Patail

Mudroom

PDX Index: Waterfront Blues Fest

06/22/2012 By Sara Gates

Trail City

Northern Stars

Vancouver/Camas

06/15/2012 Edited by Brian Barker With Julian Smith

Trail City

Express Escapes

Spend your lunch outside in Portland

06/15/2012 Edited by Brian Barker With Sara Gates

Mudroom

Do You Want to Play a Game?

A Portland website reawakens a lost gaming genre—and its fans.

06/15/2012 By Will Lambeth

Mudroom

Salt & Straw Teams Up with 5 Portland Restaurants on Unique Flavors

The ice cream collaborations feature flavors ranging from boysenberries to yuzu marmalade.

05/25/2012 By Benjamin Tepler

Mudroom

The Perfect Party: June 2012

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

05/25/2012 Edited by Zach Dundas

Mudroom

Affairs, Snared

A Portland tech start-up “traps” hot news stories.

04/27/2012 By Shane Danaher

Mudroom

The Perfect Party: May 2012

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

04/27/2012 Edited by Zach Dundas

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