Artnwordz

The force behind Artnwordz is Micha Kuechenhoff and Grant Rosen. A great deal of thought goes into crafting a story for each work of art. The titles are integral to each piece, serving as an essential part of the narrative. Creating a pop art painting of a young Queen Elizabeth wearing boxing gloves doesn’t give viewers the complete story until they see the title, “The British Pound.”

Personal History

Micha and Grant are more than collaborators—they’re a couple who live and work together 24/7. Each came into the Artnwordz partnership through very different paths, bringing unique strengths and worldviews that, when combined, drive the art that has sold out everywhere they’ve exhibited.

Micha was born in Germany and was always creating crafts with her mother. Together, they made small rock mannequins, painted them, and sold them in a flower shop. Her father was a skilled painter, and her uncle restored famous works of art.

Although she studied art in school, Micha was especially drawn to working with her hands. She sewed her own clothes, built furniture, and even fixed her own car. She originally wanted to become a graphic designer, but that path was difficult in Germany at the time. Someone suggested she pursue mapmaking. She studied the field, secured a job, and even worked on maps for a reunified Germany. Ultimately, she found mapmaking unfulfilling and wanted a more creative outlet.

Later, Micha visited her best friend in California, loved it, and decided to stay. She began designing her own line of jewelry and went on to become a highly successful jewelry designer over the next nine years, attracting several big-name celebrity clients.

Grant was a self-described “problem child” with a vivid imagination. To him, trees talked, chairs danced, and there was always a show unfolding in his mind. By the age of eight, he had become a natural entertainer. It was his way of finding acceptance, especially alongside his academically gifted, valedictorian sister.

Although his parents discouraged him from pursuing musical theater, Grant chose to follow his passion and pay his own way through school. He succeeded. His ability to manage multiple trains of thought served him well. As a Broadway performer, he excelled at multitasking—serving as fight captain, understudy to the lead, and learning 11 different roles in a single production. He often painted backstage theater walls as a tribute to the producers, with cast members signing the artwork.

Micha first conceived the idea that would combine Grant’s love of words and imagination with her artistic precision and focus. This concept evolved into the multimedia art form known as Artnwordz. In a small flower shop in La Jolla, they made their first sale—a butterfly piece incorporating words. From there, they began exhibiting at art shows across the country, quickly building a following as audiences lined up to see their work.

At a Las Vegas art show, they were approached by Ron Robinson, a key figure at Fred Segal Industries, known for selling artistic merchandise to major celebrities across the United States. With stores in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles, Robinson offered to showcase large Artnwordz pieces. This partnership provided their first major exposure to Los Angeles art buyers. Since then, their work has been collected by Snoop Dogg, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Howie Mandel, Michelle Rodriguez, and many others.

Process

Each Artnwordz piece begins with a concept. Grant generates a constant flow of ideas, which Micha refines—cutting through the clutter, adding focus, and shaping each concept into a clear visual story.

“I have random precision, random chaos, and hamsters running around inside my head,” Grant says. “Micha is very German—straight, narrow, clean, precise, with beautiful lines.”

After sketching the concept on paper, they search for the appropriate words within dictionary pages or sheet music. The design is then digitized to preview how it will look, beginning a process of trial and error refinement.

Once satisfied with the composition, they source the exact pages needed—matching not only the words but also the tone and color consistency. Large works require multiple pages, each carefully selected. Finding the right materials can take months. Painting on fragile, aged paper requires a high level of precision; if a piece tears, it cannot be repaired without detection, forcing them to start over.

Accomplishments

• 2016 Second Place – San Francisco Art Show
• 2019 Spotlight Award – Spectrum Miami (Art Basel Week)
• 2021 Award of Excellence – New York Art Expo
• 2023 First Place, Mixed Media 2D – The Beverly Hills Art Show
• 2025 Best of Show – RTIA Reno Tahoe International Fine Art Show