The Waikuku Beach resident creates handmade art pieces with them, reflecting his passion for sailing ships and nautical themes.
Mick is a retired seafarer who has worked on fishing trawlers and oil rig tenders around the world.
He’s a passionate artist whose love of sailing ships manifests itself through his art.
‘‘It all started over 35 years ago, and since then I’ve loved ship paintings, and now I’ve retired to the beach, I have the time to do something about it.’’
The intricate rope work and detailed miniature artworks he produces by hand allow him to develop his passion for larger-scale paintings of square-rigged sailing ships in the manner of the noted oil paintings by J. M. W. Turner (23 April 1775 – 19 December 1851), an English painter renowned for his skill in the portrayal of light and maritime scenes.
Sea life is a family passion as Mick’s youngest daughter is a sailing ship captain who works in Europe on masted training ships, doing learning-based sailing adventures similar to those offered on the Spirit of Adventure.
She also works on Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessels.
‘‘As a kid, you would always find her climbing trees, now she climbs masts around the world,’’ he says.
His sea shanty scenes are made of recycled oval and circular biscuit and chocolate tins.
‘‘They are getting harder to find now. I’m scouring secondhand shops for them. It’s also getting even harder to find the rope I use to surround them in.’’
Mick says that working with the rope is one of the most challenging aspects of his craft.
‘‘I’ve worked with ropes all my life. Mending nets on fishing boats for years was one of the nicer quiet times in my life and I enjoyed it.
‘‘But now my hands are not what they used to be and the smaller gauge ropes I use take a bit of work to craft them into the designs I am trying to achieve, but I work with what I have.’’
He says he must be calm and collected when working the rope into the designs.
‘‘You have to get it right the first time. You get a feeling for it. But often it’s 50/50 as to whether the rope wants to work with you today or not, as it has a mind of its own and hours of work can be ruined with just one slip.’’
Mick says each art piece can take up to six hours to make, once you factor in the rope work.
He makes them in his garage, where he’s surrounded by many works in progress and finished items, which he takes to the markets he sells at.
‘‘It’s a lot of fun and keeps me sharp. I love creating things with my hands. I’ve made ships in bottles and lighthouse models, but the biscuit tin models are my favourites, and to do more I need lots more tins and frames to work with.’’
