MIKE BROMAGE

As a painter, I am inspired by a number of things, colour, music and application of an abstract autobiographical narrative. I work within two states, one self-critical and the other absorbed with beauty. My work often revolves around a theme for a period of time in order to contain focus and absorb the critical aspect with a form of control. Colour placement and tone in conjunction with music plays a large part in my work. Making marks with colour in reaction to the memories attached to or direct experience of various pieces of music, then giving the marks a more linear narrative with naive line drawing. Despite having a fine art degree I am a self-taught painter and spend much of my working time attempting to shed the imposed elements of control that I learnt from later childhood and adolescence. I find great joy in the paintings of children and outsider artists because of the depth of inhibition and honesty.