Viburnum Rex

Mixed media portrait--?Liphus “Mick” Swindall is a Troy, Alabama-based, full-time artist who works in acrylic and mixed media with a nontraditional approach to landscape motifs and abstraction. He also dabbles in floral pictures and creates custom pet portraits on commission.

?Color plays the most important part in Mick’s work and subject matter, with shape and form following close behind. He uses textural elements to express both bold and subtle aspects of his environment—to capture the rhythm of nature. These textures add a “wow” moment to his work—they are becoming his signature in most of his landscapes.

The same color intensity, combinations and choices are a key aspect of Mick’s award-winning abstract paintings. The sense of movement is a goal in this work, with dynamic marks and brushstrokes. As in the best abstracts, Mick’s viewers see a variety of suggested forms and respond to his imagination.

Interested in exploring techniques and materials not often used by traditional artists, Mick incorporates found objects and sculptural elements into many of his pieces. Some of his work takes on a primitive or rustic quality because of these unusual textures and objects.

Mick’s pet portraits are a secondary effort for the artist but are in high demand. They range in a variety of styles from whimsical illustration to mixed media study.

Earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1994 from Stephen F. Austin University in Texas, Mick worked in Fort Worth as creative director for a publishing company and as art director for four advertising agencies. In each position, he applied his gift for art and design to various projects. Some of the biggest companies in Fort Worth still bear his logo designs and he has won numerous design awards.