Mike has always been interested in storytelling, particually stories that play with fact and conjecture, host exaggeration. While ideas come first he prefers materials that have a history, for example, wood from old furniture, paper that has travelled from Italy, or images from old books or albums.
Usually he works in series. The focus of which may be something either imagined or real. Sometimes he researches a subject and this poses more questions, more avenues to explore. Otherwise a series can start by asking “what if” about something that interests him or a personal experience.
Mike always doodled on the edges of the reams of memos and documents that passed his salaried way. Now using pencil and gouache on nicer paper, he makes marks, editing as he goes. Shadows and reflections of things and events appear forming in his head the glimmer of a story that helps the painting on its way. So his work is never abstract. He knows where the painting has been, the route it has travelled but invites the viewer to form their own story from what they see. He is also the writer of one page novels and postcard movies
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