Mike Hartley Somerset, United Kingdom

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I am a mixed media artist and Designer/ Maker I have always been interested in interdisciplinary or mixed-media arts exploring different mediums, i trained in the North East of England at university of Northumbria in Newcastle. recently designing and building structures for festival installation. Studio work at present is creating automata and kinetic structures.

I am a mixed media artist and have always been interested in exploring different mediums I view myself as a designer and constructor as well as the general term of artist I enjoy exploring many different avenues of creativity from land art and nature based sculpture to the design and build of theatre sets and structures for festivals . Most recently creating automata and kinetic structures for exhibition sound art performance and installation spaces. I focused on 3D work and sculpture allways with themes that explore environmental issues or refer to our relationship with technology and nature. initially creating skeletal figurative animal sculpture using natural materials deliberately choosing material that is seemingly of little value and free to access. my most recent work is creating kinetic sound sculptures and automata from recycling materials. bringing objects together that have no more use or place and with unknown histories or stories but giving them new stories and functions in the artworks. metaphore for people and place. I am dyslexic and on the autistic spectrum so this links to my experiences in society. I have developed as a designer and creator of decor and installation arts at outside art or alternative soaces I feel they are a valuable context for art to be connected with and seen by people from all social backgrounds. My practice in all media has involved collaborations with other creatives and with mixed mediums exploring pushing the boundries of where and what form or context art can find to express itself.