Michael Beattie is a geologist and artist who has drawn and painted since childhood. His primary profession has been in earth science, studying the dynamics of the living world, past and present. Along the way, he has been compelled to express the beauty and complexity of the earth, its many habitats and the ever changing natural and physical world. His art education has all been mentoring and studio work with professional artists, and he's been free to push into a wide variety of techniques, subject matter and inspirations. Paintings have been shown in Art Space 111's Texas Online Showcase, and Fort Worth Community Art Center, with commission works in Texas, New Mexico and Canada.
Michael splits his time between a cottage/studio in his native Ontario, Canada, and Fort Worth, Texas.
A lifetime spent studying the earth and its inhabitants has developed a strong sense of the interconnectedness of all things on this planet. Our Earth is a living and dynamic thing, turbulent in its geologic framework and ever changing on its surface. There is no “still life” here. Through my art I attempt to express the emotions and senses that i feel either in remote and wild places or urban settings.
Kind words of review from Douglas Blagg, May 2021: The art of painting "what you see" requires inspiration derived from immersion in your environment. Not an easy task, as that involves a certain amount of devoted discipline. The results, however, can be stunning as in the thoroughly captivating work of mr beattie. In these fairly lush and robust paintings, fabulous in their natural settings, there is heat, temperature, humidity, you feel the sun on your shoulders...the man takes you there and gives you a gift of his esoteric experience