See What Eye See Painting

Mike studied at the Canterbury School of Fine Arts in Ilam, Christchurch. Although his major was typo-graphic design, to be accepted into the course he completed all available art courses at Hagley Community College and therefore has a well-rounded understanding of the fine arts and the various techniques. Mike has a unique cross discipline approach to art and the development of his painting technique is testimony to this. Mike classifies himself as a private artist, passionate about the fine arts, but with a special interest in painting, printing, and kinetic sculpture. After graduating Mike developed a successful graphic, product design and marketing company in Christchurch, New Zealand with a predominately international client base. For a period of 7 years, Mike frequently traveled to Europe and Asia to meet with his clients’ needs. At home in Leeston, New Zealand, Mike has set up a painting studio where he is able to spend regular evenings creating new works. Mike created a process similar to designing products to create his paintings in that several works are always being developed at any given time. This method is not only invigorating but also helps to generate a good work flow. Influences Initially influenced by experiences of international and national travel, Mike continues to explore the concept of personal journey and the state of liminality and transition. His early works are absent of definite objects within the landscapes, the works are broken into simplified visual fields – while his more recent works cast signs into focus and allow the landscape to partake as a simple ink line. Mikes paintings through 2005 – 2007, typically are represented by layers of colour and graphite over-rubbing which allow the initial base colours to present themselves differently from their original character and form. “The edge of the work, where paint and ink sits next to raw paper, is about control and definition and conveys the message that all vision is framed by self”. Graphite lines and other such markings of his process and treatment within the raw edges reveal something of the work’s creation. They reflect the unique characteristics an individual brings with them to a journey, the environment, and the period of transition. In the past few years much of Mikes time has been devoted to the development of his design and web business, with an art space at its front. While spare time has been at a minimum, Mike has been quietly creating new works.