‘I believe a painting has to be instinctive and have a sense of urgency, but at the same time it has to be a considered work. If paint runs across a canvas it’s because I’m happy for it to go there or I may have even encouraged it to do so. Every stroke, line and layer of paint is intended to leave a record of its journey. I want the paintings to exhibit no fear of exposing their inner selves, the complexity of construction of how they came to be.’
Michael Whitehead began work as a graphic artist in a design studio in Melbourne Australia in the mid-seventies.He has taught art in Victorian Secondary Colleges, opened a one-man screen-printing business, and worked as a builder’s labourer. He has also taken time out to travel overseas. For the past few years he has been painting full time with his work represented in Australian galleries and is in public and private collections both in Australia and overseas.
From a graphic artist working in a Melbourne design studio in the mid-seventies to teaching in Secondary Colleges, running a one-man screen printing business, working as a builders laborer and even a resort manager, Michael Whitehead has always been associated with the creative process. For the past few years he has been painting full time and his work now hangs in galleries across Australia as well as in overseas collections.
Collections include:
Trades and Patents Office Canberra
Taylor’s Modern Dining Melbourne
Nambour General Hospital
Silverwater Resort San Remo
Hudson Personnel Melbourne
Thierry B Contemporary Art Collection
Soho Boutique Bendigo
Brico Melbourne
Titanium Developments Queensland
Stockland Developments Gold Coast
Toll Logistics
Michael Whitehead’s work is about the creation of usually large, layered, contemporary abstract paintings. He employs a mix of media including acrylic, oil, bitumen and oil stick to create deliberate tension, resistance and intensity. At times blocks of colour may be layered to capture or reflect light or a mood where the under-painting appears to be attempting to break through to provide a fleeting glimpse of a secret world beneath. The paintings are instinctive and have a sense of urgency but their creation is through deliberate process. If paint runs across a canvas it’s because the artist is happy for it to go there or has even encouraged it to do so. Every stroke, every line, is intended to leave a record of its journey. The works exhibit no fear of exposing their inner selves – the “complexity of construction” if you like – of how they came to be.