9 minute read
Creative collection Artist Mitchell English’ s passion for work play and beachside living has never been stronger
Creativecollection COASTAL MUSE
A LOVE OF THE BEACH IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO NOOSA PAINTER MITCHELL ENGLISH’S LIFE AND CAREER
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Story & styling KYLIE JACKES Photography LOUISE ROCHE
OPPOSITE: Mitchell English in his studio. The artworks are (clockwise from left) ‘Seal rocks (3 circles)’ , ‘Motel Balcony ’ and ‘After Glow ’ . THIS PAGE, TOP LEFT: A close-up of ‘Pastel Heatwave ’ . TOP RIGHT: ‘Late Afternoon, Golden Glow ’ . BOTTOM LEFT: Paintbrushes ready for action. BOTTOM RIGHT: Mitch heads out for a surf whenever he can.
Ataglance
Who: Mitchell English, artist.
What he does: Full-time painter, part-time surfer. Where: Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Qld.
Why he does it: “Best job in the world, ” enthuses Mitchell.
Visit: mitchellenglish.com.au. Follow: @mitchell _ english _painter, @arcadiastreetgallery. >
TOP LEFT:
“None of the colours I use are straight out of the tube, ” says Mitch, at work on ‘Blue Heatwave ’ . “They ’ re custom mixed and often I’ll do lots of overpainting to get the right tone. ” TOP RIGHT: A print of Mitch’ s ‘Gold Summer ’ series was turned into a vinyl wrap adorning The Spit Van, a converted vintage caravan which sells ice-creams, coffee and toasties in Noosa.
MITCHELL
As a teenager living in Sydney ’ s Bondi Beach, Mitchell English loved to surf and paint. Three decades on, he considers himself incredibly fortunate as his days still revolve around both. Most mornings Mitch surfs at his local Noosa break on Queensland’ s Sunshine Coast, before breakfast with partner Chelsea and kindy drop-off for son Duke, five, then it ’ s eight hours or so at work in his studio.
“I’ ve always made a point to live within walking distance to the beach, ” says Mitch, who has edged his way up and down the east coast, living in idyllic spots such as Sydney ’ s Palm Beach, Manyana on the NSW South Coast and now Noosa, where a 1960s Little Cove beach shack has been home for three years. “The beach has always been a big influence in my life and work, ” he says. “Most people have fond memories of the beach, whether it was Christmas holidays as a kid, a beach house, an annual pilgrimage, and my work has a retro feel which taps into that nostalgia. ”
Mitch initially dabbled in graphic design before pursuing a Fine Arts degree and a Master ’ s in design and taking on various jobs, from university lecturing to pulling beers and pumping petrol, to supplement his art income. “It ’ s been a long slog but it ’ s been worth it, ” he says. “When you really have a passion for something, you just can ’ t walk away from it. ”
A break came in 2011 when ad man John Singleton commissioned several works, some of Mitch’ s earliest iterations of his ‘Heatwave ’ series. It ’ s what he ’ s become known for – stylised paintings of sunbathers, towels and surfboards strewn across the sand. “My ‘Heatwave ’ paintings were inspired by a photo of Bondi Beach in the ’70s and have evolved, ” he says.
Almost half his work is on commission. “I often get asked to include family members and even dogs, ” he says. “The trick is not to make it too obvious. It ’ s subtle, it might be a reference to a towel or umbrella. There ’ s always a question hanging over the painting as to who they are. ”
Mitch also teaches life-drawing courses, plans to host workshops and is the co-owner of the Arcadia Street Gallery in Noosa Heads, which showcases contemporary artists. He constantly fills orders for limitededition prints, and his art will soon cross over into design and fashion, featuring on a range of boardshorts and shirts for surf label The Critical Slide Society. This has afforded Mitch the freedom to push the boundaries with his painting and explore a series titled ‘With The Sun In My Eyes ’ , which celebrates beach nostalgia and debuted at a recent solo show.
“It ’ s a wonderful feeling not to worry about where the money for the following week’ s rent is coming from, and get paid to do what I love, ” he says. “And it ’ s a job that allows me to surf. ” What could be better?
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