About me

When I was eight years old, my dad got a job at the Houston Astrodome and we moved from New Jersey to Texas. I remember the day the huge orange truck arrived, Allied Van Lines emblazoned on the side, and recall thinking, “why do they call themselves van lines instead of moving company?”

As the movers unloaded, I went through each box labeled “Mike’s Room,” looking for my most prized possessions—my two briefcases of Matchbox cars. When I was done with my boxes, I went through every other box in the house, to no avail. I pleaded with the movers to look again in the truck, to make sure there weren’t any hidden boxes left behind. The Allied Van Lines truck left our house and soon after I gave up hope of ever seeing my beloved cars again.

Fast forward nearly a half century, and a donation of leftover toys during a Nantucket winter ignited a creative spark in me, resulting in the art you see today. From the moment I began this project, the universe has provided inspiration in mysterious and powerful ways. I knew I was on the right track when a high school friend gifted me his car collection, complete with an Allied Van Lines matchbox truck.

I am reinvesting heavily in used matchbox cars and have found something that truly brings me joy – the birth of Matchbox Mike Studios. Every car has been previously played with, infused with the joy and imagination of youth.