Paul Michael Wright received his BFA in Illustration from Parsons School of Design in New York in spring 2019. He will continue his education in the MFA Program of Illustration and Visual Essay at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Wright is also the recipient of the Gustave Blanche III Scholarship, a two-year award in support of his MFA through the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. 

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Wright's senior thesis at Parsons consisted of the documentation of People of Color in his graduating class. He painted and archived Parsons’ students of color, representing only 5% of the school’s entire student body.  Inspired by the writing and work of James Baldwin and Booker T. Washington, Wright sought to show how these students existed in a predominantly white space. Wright is eager to continue his education at SVA among abundant resources and a diverse student body. He hopes to improve his creative abilities, broaden his point of view, and cultivate the ability to be an innovative Illustrator and an influential storyteller in an inspiring and challenging setting. Living in New York for the last four years has allowed him to see himself and his work in relation to society, and his art practice has given him a purpose and voice within his community.

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Wright graduated from the acclaimed high school, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts in 2012. Accomplished at a young age, Wright has had residencies and exhibited work at the Cow House Studios, Joan Mitchell Center, the Guggenheim Museum, George Rodrigue Gallery, Contemporary Art Center-New Orleans, the African American Museum in New Orleans, and 5 Press Gallery. 

Wright was active in the YAYA guild 2007-2014. He served as a mentor and studio assistant at YAYA, which included the responsibility of designing and executing major projects. He saw the connection as a creative partnership that gave him a chance to give back to a community that raised him.