March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

Art teacher at Southern High linked to the mob–but not like that!

Michael Bell, renowned artist and 3-time national award winning educator of the year most famous for his portraits of John Gotti, Dominic Capone and numerous actors from the Sopranos kicks off a book-signing tour through MBELLART Productions, LLC to share stories from his memoir DUAL LIVES: from the Streets to the Studio. This tour will take him to cities across the United States, often as “Dual Signings” with various celebrity clientele in his book.

Bell is kicking off his tour in Maryland at Kicked Up Fitness, located at 1927 Lincoln Avenue in Annapolis on Saturday, September 23rd from 12 to 2 p.m.

Admission is free to the public, provided you bring a pre-purchased copy of DUAL LIVES, which is available on Amazon.com. Follow the link at http://www.DUALLIVES.com. You must show your copy of the book at the door in order to gain admission.

While hosting a book signing at a boxing gym might seem somewhat unusual, this event will bring different people together for a unique event to celebrate the success of a highly celebrated icon in the local community who has devoted twenty-two years of service to Anne Arundel County.

For Bell, doing his first book signing in the boxing gym with his ten year-old son, known as “Lil’ C the Butcher”, is something he simply wouldn’t’’have any other way.  Lil C is hoping  to be the first Golden Gloves Champion with Autism.

“”The Boxing gym is where Dual Lives really began,” Bell explained. “I signed our son up for boxing at age seven so he could handle himself against bullies in school. This was one year before his official Autism
diagnosis. Since we do everything together, I took up boxing too. It’s become our father-son ritual and everyone at the gym became like extended members of our family,” said Bell.

Tony Acevedo, Owner of Kicked Up Fitness will be hosting the signing and offering a free month gym membership to everyone that shows up with a pre-purchased Dual Lives book for the author to sign. Additionally, Acevedo is offering one free personal training session to everyone who donates towards lessons for Lil C’s quest to be the first Golden Gloves Champion with Autism. A portion of book purchases made online through Amazon benefit AutismSpeaks.

Kicked Up Fitness Book Signing Schedule of Events:

  • 12 – 12:45 p.m. meet-and-greet the author, get your book signed
  • 12:45 – 1 p.m. watch a boxing media workout between Lil’ C and Coach Wolf
  • 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Q & A with Michael Bell, Tony Acevedo, Arthur Neal and Autumn Wolf

Released on June 10, DUAL LIVES: from the Streets to the Studio is just as courageously vulnerable as the compelling narratives found within Bell’s paintings. Dual Lives is also backed by an impressive list of contributors, from a Foreword by Peter J. Gotti to excerpts from John A. Gotti, Dominic Capone, World Renowned Artist Eric Fischl and Senior Art Critic for the New York Magazine Jerry Saltz, NY Times Best-Selling Authors Jay Mathews and Daniel Pink, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David J. Leeson, Sopranos star Joseph R. Gannascoli, 2-time Boxing World Champion Paulie Malignaggi and Celebrity Cook Steve Martorano, to name a few.

To pre-purchase books for upcoming signings visit http://www.DUALLIVES.com

Follow Michael Bell on Twitter and Instagram @mbellart and on his Facebook
Verified Fan Page at:  facebook.com/mbellartlive

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