Ponte Novo

Michael McDonagh Wood was born in London, England in 1952. His father was the highly respected marine artist, Peter McDonagh Wood so he grew up surrounded by his father's paintings and with access to an extensive library on art and artists. Michael's studies at Hampton and Hammersmith schools of art provided him with excellent tuition in painting and drawing. He also spent a term at Gorham College, Maine, USA specialising in photography.

In 1979 he married Veronica Charlesworth, also an artist, and together they set up a printmaking studio in Stroud, Gloucestershire printing their etchings and silk screen prints. On a visit to the beautiful Greek island of Paxos in 1987, Michael rediscovered his love for painting producing a series of evocative sunlit watercolours. Although very detailed, his paintings are fresh and lively with layers of pigment resulting in intense colours. Following the success of his Greek paintings, Michael has travelled widely in Europe capturing images of vernacular architecture and ancient villages. He has become renowned for his stunning views of Venice.

‘I started painting in watercolour in the late 80s and was immediately entranced by the subtlety and fluidity of the medium. Watercolours enabled me to achieve my visual goals. I am particularly interested in painting architecture and water, so Venice is an enduring inspiration’ he reveals. ‘I love the dilapidated surfaces of the grand palazzos reflected in the canals. I prefer to paint the backwaters away from the bustle of the tourist hotspots’ The beauty and mystery of the glorious city are captured by Michael's accurate draughtsmanship and masterly rendition of the reflected architecture.

A trip to Cuba in 2012 resulted in a body of work based on Havana, its attractive colonial architecture and exciting vintage cars. ‘When I'm travelling, I make watercolour sketches of subjects that interest me and take a lot of photographs’ explains Michael. ‘Back in the studio, I study this material for a long time before deciding what I will work up into a finished painting. I use a range of watercolour techniques to represent the texture of weathered buildings as well as the constantly changing reflections in the canals. I work on my paintings for weeks, sometimes months.’

Michael's has exhibited widely in Britain and in the USA.

Watercolour on Paper

96x76cm

Framed under glass