Michael H. Cleary, C.S.P.W.C.

I was introduced to watercolour painting during my last years at grammar school in England.  Since then I have studied oil painting, design and composition as well as various crafts.  I have deliberately not taken any instruction in watercolour because I wanted to work out my own methods and evolve my own symbols.In order to create work that is fresh and full of the detail that intrigues me, I paint outside in front of the subject in all seasons keeping studio painting to a minimum.   Each painting is a unique reaction to the subject at the time it was painted, requiring several days in front of the subject, during which time light and weather conditions vary a great deal.  The final result is a synthesis of all I have learned about the subject while the work was in progress.

The subjects I paint range from a close up of an individual flower to panoramic landscapes.  The impetus to choose a certain subject usually starts with an “Oh Wow!” reaction.  Then the real work begins.  Can this be fitted into a composition?  As a painting may take a week or more to complete I want to be certain the structure will work before I start.  Because of the type of person I am most of the subjects I choose are in rural or wilderness settings, most of which do not include human references.  The majority of people today are urban dwellers, cut off from day to day reaction with the “natural” environment.  If I can produce paintings that relax, calm or refresh the viewer then I feel that I am contributing to that person's well being.

I began my full time painting career in Muskoka, Ontario, where I had my own studio and gallery.  Most of my subjects were found among the rocks, lakes, and farm lands of Muskoka .  In order to keep my observations fresh and get a variety of subjects to challenge my skills I traveled farther afield.  My travels have taken me from coast to coast, including the arctic coast.

After a few moves we are now in Port Alberni where we keep our sailboat, Peacemaker, ten minutes walk from our home and have begun to explore and paint on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Painting in B.C. has presented a whole new set of challenges adding the ebb and flow of the tides to changes in light and weather.  I still paint as much as possible on the spot, but the purchase of a digital camera and a laptop has made it possible to complete paintings of rapidly changing subjects in the studio.

In 1977 I was elected a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour and in 2006 I was honoured by being elected a Life Member.

 
Michael Cleary:

3151 4th Ave., Port Alberni, BC

Telephone: 250 724 3361

Website: www.arrowsmithfca.ca/michaelcleary