Michael Graves paints outside on location throughout the year, and frequently travels along the Maine coast to Acadia National Park to paint. In the past two years, his submissions to the National Park Academy of the Arts exhibition have all been paintings of Maine. Graves is a member of the Academic Artists Association, the Rockport Art Association, the North Shore Art Association, the Hudson Valley Art Association, and the Blackstone Valley Artists. He has received numerous awards and prizes for the outstanding quality and content of his work.