“My work has been described by observers as dream-like and ethereal,” says self-taught abstract artist Michael Bond who paints in rich, signature style out of his studio in Noosa. Opulent in colour and with plenty of dramatic, dark hues, Michael is adept at building abstract textures and layers and his latest collection Eden is a celebration of flowers.
“It’s sometimes hard to describe my own work, it’s abstract and gestural by nature, but more and more and particularly with the more recent work, there are elements that suggest something familiar like a bloom,” says Michael.
Michael’s signature painting style uses layered acrylic, oil, pastel and graphite and he works on both large and small scale pieces. “I work mostly with acrylic as the faster drying times suit the way I work – different mediums allow different effects to be achieved such as wiping back and building texture,” says Michael.
A hairdresser by trade, Michael has never received any formal art training. “I trained as a hairdresser from the time I left school and that career spanned 30 or so years, though art was always there in the background. It was only a few years back that I was able to focus fully on my artwork and call myself a ‘full time’ artist,” says Michael whose works now feature in private collections throughout Australia and overseas. His work also featured on The Block recently, in Bianca and Carla’s living room.
“Inspiration comes to me in so many forms, I can be inspired purely by a colour or something I see on a morning walk with the dogs. I have to say living where we do at the moment has given me the most inspiration – we’re fortunate enough to live by the ocean and I’m always amazed by how the surrounding landscape is always changing,” says Michael of his Noosa home.
Photography: Emma Bourne
