Michael Schmeja

Melbourne born Michael Schmeja was well aware from a young age that he was an artist. After a Diploma of Visual Art in 2000, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Art, majoring in Drawing, at The Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Michael has continuously proven to be a passionate, hardworking and exhibiting artist. 

The vibrantly creative city of Melbourne is where Michael developed as an artist, creating and exhibiting works that were, and continue to be, based on the abstract. Oil, acrylic and mixed media are his primary means of expression. Michael has always had a passion for both natural (often figurative) and architectural forms, which he utilizes in his continuously developing style of multi-layered abstraction. 

During three years at Blender Studios (Melbourne), working among influential, local urban artists, Michael became heavily influenced by Melbourne’s dynamic street scene. It was the imagery of work over work, line over line that attracted him to this growing, creative epidemic in the city.

Upon arrival in Valencia in 2016, again he found himself working in an influential studio space - this time, alongside Spanish, and other European fine and urban artists.

Michael continues to live and create in Valencia, with regular visits to his home and studio in Melbourne.

Artist Statement:

Every Idea begins with a sketch. 

As artists, we have a passion for expressing ideas and forms with our hands. But with that must come acceptance and joy in the inevitable mistakes which occur. I love to explore how ideas of the precise and random come together. I find combining expressive mark making with digital precision allows both sides of my creativity to flourish whilst speaking of a meeting point of man and machine. Of technology and tradition. In this way the paintings trace man’s relationship with the modern and digital world and his journey through it. The connections we have with design and architecture in our daily routine, for example such as subway maps or architect floor plans.

The initial sketches I make are based on figurative, architectural and natural forms using drawing and automatic mark making, while the final layers are applied with precision and awareness. These paintings discuss this meeting point by combining separate techniques in layers of both: What may appear to be  digital, and hand drawn mark. By layering one atop the other, both are exaggerated. The love we have for the tentative traces of an artist’s hand and the beauty that comes from mistakes and slow discovery combines with sharp calculated edges, making the viewer feel both its unity and conflict.

Only when these layers find balance and unity can each piece successfully come into being. 

Solo Exhibitions

2018   Los Bocetos del Carmen Black Cat Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2015   The time has come Southern Buoy Studios, Mornington, Australia

2011   Recent Work Southern Buoy Studios, Mornington, Australia

2009   A Season. A Reason. A Lifetime Off the Kerb Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2008   The Sorting of Files. Drawing from Memory, Upstairs Flinders Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2007   Automatter, Upstairs Flinders Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2006   Automatta, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2003   In Unity there is Diversity, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2001   Seeing Through Closed Eyes, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

Group Exhibitions

2023   Surface Tension Bloom Gallery, Valencia, Spain

2023   A Chance of Change, Bloom Gallery, Valencia, Spain

2019   Un – Earth Southern Buoy Studios, Mornington, Australia

2016   Southern Buoy Portraiture Pirze & Exhibition Southern Buoy Studios, Mornington, Australia

2010   Blender Studios Exhibition, Blender Studios, Melbourne, Australia

2006   Loose, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2005   Tangency,  Oakhill Gallery, Mornington, Australia

2003   Nude/Naked, 69 Smith Street Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2003   Segue Victorian College of the Arts Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2003   Drawing Department Annual Exhibition Victorian College of the Arts Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria

2002   Proud Annual Exhibition, Victorian College of the Arts Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2002   Drawing Department Annual Exhibition, Victorian College of the Arts Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2001   Proud Annual Exhibition, Victorian College of the Arts Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

Awards & Competitions

2021   Finalist - XXXIX CERTAMEN NACIONAL PINTURA CASTILLO DE SAN, Castilla La Mancha, Spain

2021   Finalist -  XLII PREMIO GREDOS DE PINTURA 42, Avila, Spain

2007   Finalist - Agendo Annual Contemporary Art award Gardner Galleries, Melbourne, Australia

2003   Winner – The Tolarno Hotel Annual Art Award Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, Australia