Miggie (1988) - Never give up Girl

Ready to hang directly, including certificate
Handmade painting

Technique:

Spray can
Marker, pencil
High-quality acrylic paint
Canvas

My name is Miguel, but among friends, acquaintances and in the art world I’m best known as Miggie. It’s my artist name, but also my nickname. I was born in 1988 in the Netherlands and I live and work in Maastricht, a Bourgondian city in the south of the Netherlands, close to the Belgian and German borders. The international environment I live in provides an important source of inspiration for my work. Daily I encounter different cultures, styles, people and stories. That versatility fits well with the way I view art: curious, free and without fixed boundaries.

Art has always been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. From a young age, drawing and painting were a natural way for me to express myself. When words sometimes fall short, an image can tell a lot. As a child I drew portraits, comic characters and endless doodles. I could spend hours creating new drawings and discovering shapes, lines and colors. Without me realising it at the time, that laid the foundation for the artist I am today.

Later I discovered graffiti and street art. That discovery had a big influence on how I look at art. The energy, freedom and direct visual language of graffiti spoke to me strongly. Art didn’t have to hang only in a museum or gallery for me; it could also arise on the street, in the midst of society, between buildings, people and daily life. The combination of large forms, bold colors, typography, spontaneity and different layers continued to fascinate me.

My interest in art developed further and eventually I deepened my passion at the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts. There I had the opportunity to further develop my skills and at the same time experiment with different techniques, materials and ways of working. The education helped me become not only technically stronger but also to think more about my own visual language and what I want to convey as an artist.

My style

My current work is a combination of street art, pop culture and contemporary visual art. I draw inspiration from art history, popular culture, social developments and especially the world around me. Sometimes it’s a recognizable image, a person or an object that catches my eye. At other times an idea arises precisely from a color, a shape, a text or a accidental combination of images.

Artists like Dillon Boy, Banksy, Jeff Koons and Marcel Duchamp have inspired me in different ways. Yet I try to walk my own path above all. I don’t believe art has to fit into one style or one technique. It’s precisely the combination of different influences that makes my work interesting. I enjoy pushing existing boundaries and letting different techniques and materials work together.

My paintings are colorful, expressive and often built up in multiple layers. In one work different images, patterns, texts, textures and details can come together. Sometimes you immediately see what you’re looking at, while with other works you need to look longer to discover all the elements. I find that interesting: a work of art doesn’t have to reveal everything at once.

My inspiration largely comes from the visual culture we live in daily. We are constantly surrounded by advertising, television, social media, brands, music, films, comics and other forms of popular culture. These images influence how we see the world. I use elements from that visual language and then give them a new context within my own work.

Materials and techniques

Experimenting is an important part of my working method. I use different materials and techniques and combine them into mixed-media artworks. I work, among other things, with Molotow acrylic, high-quality acrylic paint, markers, wall paint and graphic designs.

I also make use of graphic elements and canvas prints when they add something to the image. By combining painting techniques with graphic shapes, prints, texts and other layers, a dynamic whole emerges. No material has a fixed function for me. It ultimately depends on what the work needs.

The process is at least as important as the final result. Sometimes a painting starts with a clear idea, but the work changes completely during painting. Other works arise spontaneously. A new layer can partially cover an earlier layer, after which a new form emerges. This keeps the process visible in the final artwork.

Unique artworks

Each painting I make is unique. I find it important that a work of art is not just a decorative object, but also contains a piece of my personality, energy and way of looking at things.

My works are executed on canvas and are ready to hang directly. Each painting therefore has its own character and appearance. Because my work is handmade, there is no exact identical copy. You’re not just bringing home an image, but an original artwork in which time, attention and creativity are built in.

I hope people feel something from my work. That can be admiration, recognition, curiosity or simply a smile. A piece of art does not always have to carry a complicated message for me. Sometimes it can just be colorful, energetic and positive. At the same time I like it when a work makes someone think or invites them to look longer.

Art for everyone

As far as I’m concerned, art does not have to be distant or difficult to access. I want my work to appeal to people, regardless of how much knowledge they have about art. Whether you are an experienced art collector or considering purchasing an original artwork for the first time: my goal is that you find something with which you have a personal connection.

Shipping

When a work of art finds a new owner, of course I want it to arrive in the same good condition as when it left my studio. Therefore I also pay attention to careful packaging.
Each canvas is carefully protected with multiple layers of bubble wrap and then provided with a sturdy, tailored outer box. This way the artwork is protected as much as possible during transport to its new destination.

My aim as an artist

For me, art is ultimately a way to make ideas, energy and emotion visible. It is a continuous search in which I keep experimenting, learning and discovering new things. My inspiration comes from the past, contemporary culture and especially daily life.

I don’t want to limit myself to one style, one technique or one subject. It is precisely the freedom to bring together different influences that makes it interesting for me to keep creating.

My hope is that my art adds something to the space it occupies. That it brings color, provokes curiosity, starts a conversation or simply gives someone a good feeling.

Thank you for your interest in my work. I hope my art inspires you, moves you, makes you curious or simply brings a smile to your face.