Michael Parker is an artist skilled in palette knife painting.
His use of colours in oil paint, and his unusual abstract style, has
made him ever more popular with the public. He rarely uses brushes, and has
been painting all his life, specialising in figurative art.
I have been painting all my life. I now realise that I was on an apprenticeship of learning the skills, and the knowledge of painting in different mediums. Finally settling with oil paint, which is by far my favourite.
I
am self-taught and my early works were “trompe l’oeil”, a French term meaning
“to deceive the eye”; a technique of attempting to create an optical illusion in
oil paint. This was very hard edged brushwork, but it taught me the meaning of
form.
After many years of developing my own style and technique, I eventually progressed to working with large palette knives.
I believe the skill of using them came from my profession as a builder, plasterer, bricklayer, and developer.
Having
now found interest in colour relativity, I have changed my palette to a joyful
set of colours bringing in violets, cadmium hues, reds, greens and blues to my
paintings. My knives give me the opportunity to create a scene of abstract
fragments depicting the scene but not in its perfect form. I paint in the
“plein air” as much as in my studio.
I
first start with an idea and draw the composition. Then I begin applying paint
in large bold strokes to the background. My intention is to be deliberately
strong and well placed with my strokes. I cannot go back. And what develops is
there for the eye to behold. I work wet into wet and when entering my figures I
have one chance – changing in mid-stream may ruin all that I have created in
the background.
I
enjoy painting most human figures, animals, and also still life, But the horse
is my favourite. I strive to achieve movement in my paintings, even within the
static still lives, conjuring up the excitement of all life. Bathed in
light from any particular angle. Having now won many local competitions
throughout the South of England. I have moved on to also sell my work in print
form.
I
live in Dorset, and my work can be found in different counties throughout
England, and also in Europe.
I
am always available for Palette knife
demonstrations to art societies and clubs, and also painting workshop days.