I believe a painting has to be instinctive and have a sense of urgency, but at the same time it has to be a considered work. If paint runs across a canvas it’s because I’m happy for it to go there or I may have even encouraged it to do so. Every stroke, line and layer of paint is intended to leave a record of its journey. I want the paintings to exhibit no fear of exposing their inner selves, the complexity of construction of how they came to be’.

Michael Whitehead began work as a graphic artist in a design studio in Melbourne in the mid-seventies. He has taught art in Victorian Secondary Colleges, opened a one-man screen-printing business, and worked as a builder’s labourer.

He has also taken time out to travel overseas. For the past few years he has been painting full time with his work represented in Australian galleries and is in public and private collections both in Australia and overseas.