
DIGITAL ABSTRACT ART PRINTING
Nationality
England, UK
Status
Emerging Artist
Residence
Lancashire, England, UK
Technique
Digital Medium
Education
Blackpool & Fylde Art College - 1989 - 1991 - A level Art achieved
Cumbria College Of Art & Design 1991 - 1994 - Fine Art Degree achieved with honours
Biography
The first thing you might notice with Michaels work is his use of colour. His work stands out due not only due to their vibrance and clarity but the use of colour is quite magical. Blending specific harmonies and combinations which stem from feeling and emotion. You will never see a Michael Hunter piece overloaded with too many colours. When you look at a Michael Hunter piece you are mesmerized by the way he manipulates marks shapes and colours work in harmony to produce thought-provoking and inspiring pieces. Michael's love of art began at a very early age when he used to enjoy drawing and painting. Michaels style developed when at art college at the age of 16. Here he was inspired by the works of David Bomberg. It was the use of colour and the expressive manner that inspired Michael. Then, at the age of 18, Michael's work began to change and develop. He began to realise that there was much more to art than just trying to render and copy what was infront of him. He was inspired again by trips to galleries and by working alongside other artists who used abstraction within their work. Michael started to create in a kind of semi abstract way. He discovered that there was a new way ahead and a way that he knew was right for him. He could free up and express himself and use music as part of the process. Often Michael works to uplifting soulful house music and tries to bring that euphoric feeling into his creations. He believes that art should not be something of a chore but something which only happens at those times and moments when the mood and feeling is just right. His awards include a Fine Art Degree achieved in 1994 at The Cumbria College Of Art & Design Carlisle, Cumbria in the UK. Michael has exhibited throughout the UK at top art fairs and had his work shown in a number of galleries. Michaels art style is often a perfect style for very modern interiors and therefore used by interior designers around the world to finish their modern interior projects. Michael's digital pieces can be separated into two styles. An expressive abstract expressionist style showing overlapping brush marks and textures. These expressive pieces start by Michael actually experimenting with paint and photography before digitally collaging the elements. Michael also creates pure hard edge digital pieces which are usually very minimalistic in appearance and again with limited colour palette often using simge colours with various tones, shades and hues. It just depends on what type of brief he is asked to work to by clients and interior designers.
Artist statement
I find that creating digital abstract art is akin to DJ mixing music but instead of blending tracks I digitally mix the marks colours and shapes into pleasing and thought provoking compositions. I use a variety of techniques and applications which may include painting, airbrush, photography and digitally collage. It is important for me to have an open-minded approach to the creative process and not limit to one technique, application or medium. I enjoy experimenting and I’m interested in the effect of shapes and forms and how they can be arranged together over interesting grounds to create space and movement. Whilst I am creating my abstracts whether its throwing paint around or collaging digitally I always have music on which seems to give me a certain confidence and ability to make definitive decisions such as where to place a certain mark or what colour combination works best in each design. I always carry a sketch book so I can quickly scribble compositions and ideas that spring to mind. One thing I have found with working in an abstract style is that ideas can happen at any time. From the initial ideas, rough compositions and colour combinations I begin to play around with marks and shapes. I enjoy experimenting with brush marks and various ways of creating textures and marks including photographing natural textures which I may find interesting. The digital element within my work is also a very important part of the whole process. Here I can digitally enhance the marks and textures which I experimented with. I am able to fine tune colours to get them exactly right and I can move marks and shapes to form eye catching and unusual compositions. Once a design is what I would consider a finished piece then it is stored as a high resolution file and ready to print using the exact colour space used in creating. The finished prints are produced with the best equipment, ink and papers which are approved by the Fine Art Trade Guild.
Solo Exhibitions
2016 – The Picture House Art Gallery, UK
2017 – Luminaire Arts London, UK
1996 – UCLAN Preston, UK
Publications in specialized media
2019 – Artfinder.com - One To Watch
2019 – Ideal Home Magazine
Contact
Email: millbrookgallery@outlook.com
Tel: +447900683936
Internet
Artist website
Facebook Page
Instagram
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MICHAEL HUNTER's PRINTS