Mike Bernard
Biography
Mike Bernard was born in Dover, Kent, in 1957. He studied at Medway College of Art and Design, gaining a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, followed by a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at West Surrey College of Art and Design. He went on to complete postgraduate studies in Painting at the Royal Academy Schools, London, graduating in 1981.
Mike has had an extensive career in art education, teaching at institutions including Farnham Adult Education Institute, South Hill Park Arts Centre, West Surrey College of Art and Design, Treloar College and Southampton Institute of Higher Education. He also organised and ran private painting courses for many years.
Artist Statement
I now paint almost exclusively in mixed media, combining paper collage, acrylics and pastel. I am inspired by the way random textures, shapes, colour and ‘happy accidents’ steer the direction of my paintings. My favourite subjects continue to be harbour scenes, markets and street scenes, both in Britain and abroad.
My starting point is to collect sketches on the spot, from coastal scenes to streets and markets, and occasionally still life. I am selective when describing detail; I want to portray only the essence of the subject.
Back in the studio, I begin with layers of paper collage, using newspapers, tissue, leaflets and magazines, glued with acrylic medium. I create shapes that relate to the abstract structure of the subject, then apply acrylic ink in bold, random strokes, encouraging interesting colour and textural ‘happy accidents’.
From this state of chaos, I endeavour to define the subject through various drawing techniques. I work towards a finished painting with recognisable passages while retaining a semi-abstract, impressionistic feel, leaving space for the viewer’s imagination.