About:

My name is Michael (Stigy) a I’m disabled abstract artist from Twickenham. I attended an art and design access course at a West London college, This is where my passion for art was realised. The course included sculpture, photography and computer design, but I found that when I painted I could express myself for the first time without limitations. I Have since started my own business and designed and built this website to sell my pieces. I have also shown work in local galleries and exhibitions. My ambition is to one-day exhibit in a prestigious gallery like The Tate Modern (hey, I can dream, can’t I?). I use few techniques, due to my disability, to create my pieces. I have an adapted helmet which I can attach my brushes and I bang it on a plank of wood to create my Jackson Pollock style. For more clean images I have an assistant place either tape or stencils on the canvas. My first three pieces were painted on dust sheets attached to wooden frames, as I have developed far better control and understanding of my tools I now create my artwork on much smaller canvas frames. Originally, I was not able to translate the image in my head to the canvas. I would have to apply many layers of paint until I had achieved what I wanted. When looking back at my older work, I realised that this technique gave my work depth and a more vivid appearance. This has now become my current technique layering light over dark and vice versa. My inspiration is drawn from my experiences and emotions, I find if I try to paint from a visual memory the process is forced and the results false and not true to me. For my pieces on the physical world, I will go out and take lots of photographs of my subject and upload the images onto a computer. From these images I will pick out distinctive shapes and colours and apply these to canvas. Stiggypainted on dust sheets attached to wooden frames, as I have developed far better control and understanding of my tools I now create my artwork on much smaller canvas frames. Originally, I was not able to translate the image in my head to the canvas. I would have to apply many layers of paint until I had achieved what I wanted. When looking back at my older work, I realised that this technique gave my work depth and a more vivid appearance. This has now become my current technique layering light over dark and vice versa. My inspiration is drawn from my experiences and emotions, I find if I try to paint from a visual memory the process is forced and the results false and not true to me. For my pieces on the physical world, I will go out and take lots of photographs of my subject and upload the images onto a computer. From these images I will pick out distinctive shapes and colours and apply these to canvas. Stigy