Mick Dean

Mick is probably best known for his depictions of city streets, and the trappings of London’s industrial past.

 

Professor Brian Cox’s explanation of the second law of thermodynamics, and the movement of all things by decay from low to high entropy gave a name and a description to the core subject of Mick Dean’s work. In his paintings he captures man-made objects in a state of decay demonstrating man versus nature and nature’s inevitable triumph. Crumbling roads and footpaths, ageing interiors, and the remnants of London’s industrial past all form rich subject matter.

 

“The process can be very beautiful. I am particularly fond of observing this process in action in commonplace situations, hence my fascination with ageing roads and footways”.

 

He also uses this process in his painting – adding solvents to oil paint to cause separation of the oil from the pigment – a small demonstration in itself of entropy in action.

 

During lockdown the only outside world available was native woodland where he walked his dog, Billie. This formed the basis of his recent work, following the seasons and looking closely at the textures in nature as the year evolves. This has led to reinvestigating some of his previous work and reinterpreting his view of landscape.  His recent solo exhibition Walking with Billie included many of these works.