Wilson Davis

Mike Bernard RI

MIKE BERNARD R.I.

Born 1957    Dover Kent England.

TRAINING 

1974 – 75                Foundation                            Medway College of Art and Design.

1975 – 78                BA Hons in Fine Art            West Surrey College of Art and Design.

1978 – 81                MA Painting                         Royal Academy Schools, London. 

Year 1997               Elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours.

TEACHING

1980 – 1999           Farnham Adult Education Institute.

1980 – 1984           South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell.

Year 1981              West  Surrey College of Art and Design.

Year 1981              Treloar College, Alton. 

1981 – 1996           Southampton  Institute of Higher Education.

1983 – 2000           Private Painting Courses.

AWARDS 

Elizabeth Greenshields Fellowship 1981 and 1987  (Royal Academy)

David Murray Studentship 1978/80/81  (Royal Academy)

1^ST Prize Stowells Trophy 1981 (Royal Academy)

British Institute Prize (Royal Academy)

Lanseer Prize (Royal Academy)

Highly Commended Award 1990 Silver Longboat Exhibition, Portsmouth City Art Gallery.  

Laing Landscape Painting Award 1993

R. I. Exhibition Mall Galleries London

Kingsmead Gallery Award 1999

Stuart Defries Award 2003

Lincoln Joyce Gallery Award 2007 

The Ranelagh Press Award  RI  2009

METHOD OF WORKING

My initial starting point is to collect on the spot sketches, subjects will vary from harbour coastal scenes to street and market scenes and occasional still lifes.  I am selective when describing detail, I want to portray only the essence of the subject.

Back in the studio I start my paintings, (surfaces can include, paper, board and canvas),   with layers of paper collage, newspapers, tissue, leaflets, magazines etc, glueing with acrylic medium.

I create shapes which relate to the abstract structure of the subject.  When the glue is dry, I apply acrylic ink in bold random strokes which encourages wonderful colour and textural ‘happy accidents’.  From this state of chaos I endeavour to definite the subject through various drawing techniques, to a finished stage where the subject has recognizable passages, but at the same time retain a semi- abstract, impressionistic feel, engaging the viewers imagination.

ARTIST STATEMENT 

I now paint almost exclusively in mixed media, combining collage, acrylics and pastel.  I enjoy the way textures, shapes, colour and ‘happy accidents’ steer the direction of my paintings.  My favourite subjects continue to be harbour scenes, market and street scenes both in Britain and abroad. 

ARTWORK

Mike Bernard RI Scottish Harbour (Limited Edition Print) £220.00	Mike Bernard RI Fishing Boats, Pittenweem (Limited Edition Print) £190.00	Mike Bernard RI Crail (Limited Edition Print) £220.00
Mike Bernard RI Archway, Vieste, Italy SOLD	Mike Bernard RI Morning Coffee, Umbria SOLD

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EXHIBITIONS