Artist Biography
The unusual life of an Artist.
After a life (47 years) as a successful Muay Thai fighter and coach, Mick Mullaney (b.1959) has finally decided to hang up his gloves in the pursuit of his other amazing skill – the art of Portraiture!
His 67 fights in Muay Thai, made him tough and resilient with a “never give in” attitude which he has carried forward to the pursuit of excellence in the art world.
These days, Mick is a shy recluse who doesn’t like to be disturbed. His working nickname is “il Pugilo” (the Boxer). He may come across a bit grumpy at first, but he is a kind, compassionate man. Intensely private, he feels anxiety and a crushing burden to express himself creatively?
A well educated vegetarian who has a passion for painting and drawing. He loves all animals and has two beautiful dogs – a 95kg Old English Mastiff named Herman and a dainty Irish Lurcher named Tilly.
He often spends days and nights frantically painting in his studio until his inspiration is spent. He certainly doesn’t like to be part of the social Art scene and limits his exhibitions to just one annual show. Ironically, he loves to paint people, animals, emotion and the effects of light and shadow.
Walking in to Mick’s studio, theres a strong smell of oil paint and incense. It is definitely not a pristine showroom…. It’s dingy, untidy and built for purpose with a heater for when it’s cold and a fan for summertime. He has vowed never to destroy any cobwebs that take residence in his studio and there may be playful mice too!!!
Hundreds of well used tubes of oil paint, rags, brushes, pastels and bits of charcoal are everywhere. Most of his time is spent painting commissioned portraits. Although UK based, he’s had commissions from all over the world including Ghent, Gothenborg, Copenhagen, Florida, Lucerne, Adelaide, Tehran, Nova Scotia and Bangkok Thailand.
The work of Mick Mullaney / “il Pugilo”
Online Portfolio
His work is filled with complicated detail and clear insight.
Not about him but about his Art.
Known for his distinctive, highly figurative works in oil, pastel and charcoal and his unique approach using light, shadow and narrative ….
His work is a reflection of life, never perfect but always unique. He tries to give the work some life, it’s own energy. He is never afraid to take a risk and push it as far as he can. He believes if you never push your art as far as you can…then you’ll never know how good it can be.
You have to empty yourself of all life’s baggage before great Art can come thru onto the canvas.
I always plan something totally different but “it” does what it wants.
To talk about painting is perhaps pointless – you can only express in words what words are capable of expressing… what language can communicate. Painting has nothing to do with that. You can’t think of anything; painting is another form of thinking. It is about things I don’t understand . I tend not to like the paintings I understand…and the ones I dont like, often speak to me in another way. You have to leave a piece of your soul on the canvas.
Of being seen – the things you do in private, when you are free to express yourself… and then reveal all in public. Its like being naked. You can hide behind your art. An assertion of expression and tolerates no comparison.
Laid bare.
Something happens spontaneously, not by itself, but without plan or reason. That without a plan the subconscious will articulate itself. As artists we have to redirect/manipulate our creativity by making small corrections in our spontaneity until the painting feels finished. When nothing is “wrong” anymore – the painting is finished.