My art practice could best be described as eclectic. There exist many commonalities, shared perspectives and adaptable aesthetic and theoretical values applicable to most aspects of art production. I regard it as a challenge and an adventure to work within a variety of subjects, approaches and media whilst maintaining a consistency and a workable systematic and stylistic formula. Recent paintings exploiting the physicality and reaction of paints (Gravitas and Gravity Series) have been completed within the last few years. Within many of these paintings I set up situations where the paint is able to respond to gravity and the influences of material content. Paint application is very rarely by brush; pouring, dripping, drizzling and flicking predominate. Masking tape polices the no-flow zones.
All of these paintings are carried out with commercial gloss paints. The consistency and fluidity of such paint render it the most suitable medium for the subject and content of these works. These pieces explore behaviour and consequence. Paint could be seen as a metaphor for some human traits, be they well mannered, wayward, cooperative, dysfunctional, discordant, harmonious, complementary, aggressive, biddable or demanding.
This can be perceived as the message of and within these works, or you can simply enjoy them for the visual and playful surprises and memory-jogs that the physical and subliminal content may contain.
Mick Rafferty has exhibited in several locations in the UK including 3 times at the University of Warwick, Coventry University, Upton House in Poole, Leamington Spa, Earlsdon, Godmanchester, Bristol, Banbury, Hoxton, Varenna; Italy, Malvern Theatre and Knapp Gallery Regents Park London
