Interview
Michael Rocharde
Michael grew up in an artistic family. Both of his parents were exceptional artists, his father especially so, whose portraits were astonishing. His mother painted landscapes, which were also beautiful. Neither his brother nor Michael seemed to have any talent, and so they lost interest. About three years ago, when he had just turned 70, he had to have cataract surgery on both of his eyes. Michael was terrified and needed some retail therapy, so he bought an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil. His intention was to learn how to draw and paint. He found Pigment, an adult coloring program, and started coloring. He noticed that many of the pieces he really liked had been created using Amaziograph. Michael bought a copy and taught himself. One day, he noticed a face in one of his pieces, and he started to think, “What if?” Soon enough, virtually every mandala he created had faces inside of them, whimsical and wonderful creatures of all types, and that was how Critters Mandalas came into being. He’s been told by multiple people that it’s a unique art form. He doesn’t know whether that’s true, but it’s a nice thought. He would have loved to show his art to his parents; they would have liked it.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I'm originally from the UK and now living in Spain, the 7th country I've lived in. Professionally, I've been developing business software for the past 35 years. My parents were both incredible artists, my father especially so. I never thought I had inherited any of their artistic talent until I started coloring with Pigment on my iPad Pro using the Apple Pencil. I had bought the iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil due to cataract surgery anxiety. After about 6 months of just coloring, I began to design my own pieces using a program called Amaziograph, which I had taught myself. They were mostly geometric pieces with the occasional mandala, an art form which I've always loved. One day, I noticed that there was a face inside a mandala, and it started a thought process ‘What if?’ That thought has generated more than 1,000 original pieces, and I now have my own online art gallery. I call my pieces ‘Critters Mandalas’ because they are all mandalas and full of weird, whimsical creatures, some recognizable animals, some humanoid, and many others that come under the general category of aliens. They are brightly colored and cheerful, and meant to make people smile.”
What inspires you?
“I don't know if there is anything in particular that inspires me, other than perhaps the process of creating. That, in itself, is my way of meditating, of calming my spirit.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Critters of all types. Bright, energetic colors, whimsical expressions. If there is an underlying message, I suppose it’s the following: ‘It's okay to be a little crazy and just have fun.’”
How would you describe your work?
“Whimsical, humorous, and very colorful would be the most accurate description.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Bridget Riley, probably. I remember seeing her work at the Tate Gallery in London when I was growing up, and I've been told that there are elements in my pieces that remind people of hers. I like many different artists, but only a few pieces grab me viscerally.”
What is your creative process like?
“I open Amaziograph and start with the Mandala pattern. I then choose the number of repetitions and just draw a random line or two to find a starting point. If I don't see it, I start over. Otherwise, I use the eraser to tidy up those lines. From there on, I continue to the finished design. All the Critters have eyes and expressions. Once a piece is finished, I save it as a Photoshop file, open it in Pigment, and color two or more versions. The Critters rarely repeat although there are definitely recurring themes.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I think the artist's role in society is to create work that moves people in a positive way. We live in a dangerous world, and many people spend their lives living in fear. I think that art can, and does, mitigate that.”
Website: www.rochardecreative.com/critters
Instagram: @crittersmandalas
Brush Bio: brush.bio/crittersmandalas
