Michael Cook
Acrylic,Oil,Mixed Media
Who are you and how does that show up in your work?
I am a self taught artist who came to painting during a really rough patch in life. My work is an exercise in historical imaginings, seeking to capture moments, places, and people of history in a contemporary lens.
What draws you to making art in the first place?
I love to take a scene or figure from my studies or my life and paint them in a different light, bringing a new understanding to a familiar subject.
How do you usually start a piece?
I typically start with rough sketch composition sketching, before transferring my final sketch to canvas and painting.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
I try to find my stop point at the moment where I look at the piece and think “more would be less”, and stop before I overwork it.
High emotions: sorrow and joy, excitement, anxiousness, moments that make me think “I need to explore this further.”