Name: Mike Field
Age: 45
Occupation: Artist/steel bridge work, fishing
City/Neighborhood: Saint John Tell us a little about yourself & what you do.
Should I tell you the good parts? Hahah I’m just really here recording new Brunswick, to paint and record NB. Sometimes I travel to far away places and work different jobs. I’m between all jobs. I don’t do the same thing all the time. I went away and did some steel work, I like to change it up.. I was a fisherman for 15 years. I like to go out and study the water. If you go away from it too long it’s hard to keep it fresh. I want to paint crazy impressionistic things, ..watercolor, I do for now, but I would like to paint loose canon things. Tell us how you got started.
My mother said when I was a year old, if there were Crayons, I had them in my hands. For as long as I can remember I’ve been painting. My mother was my school principal, she got me really involved and pushed me all through school to do it. People in Grand Manan always pushed me to paint. It’s a really good distraction for me. If I can get into a painting, it voids out the negative spots in my life. I get in my own world. My house could be burning down but as long as I was painting I wouldn’t even notice. Painting is good for me that way. I don’t sleep at night, so painting is good at night too. I don’t usually go to bed until 4am.

Do you remember the first piece you’ve ever sold?
Pretty well. It was a deer hunting scene. I was 12 years old. I remember the guy who bought it from me, he gave me 50$ which I thought was a lot at the time. I was selling steadily by the time I was 14. I had my own little gallery in Grand Manan, it was quite the tourist trap. People went nuts. I had people who bought my work at 14 then again buying from me at 30. What project are you working on right now?
Just these little Maritime humor paintings.

Where do you find ideas for your work these days?
Anywhere in this province, inspiration is around you all the time if you’re looking for it.

What’s your biggest art world pet peeve?
I think if people are doing art just because other people are doing it. Your career is not going to happen over night, it’s a lifetime, do it from the heart. The pay in painting is if you’re satisfied with it. A dollar value can’t make you “like” painting. I say modestly, I’ve been quite successful but I’ve been doing it for 30 years. It took me 30 years and I am no exception to the rule. What is your motto?
Today could be it. So get it done

Do you collect anything?
Yeah, lots of art! And carvings.

What do you most value in your friends?
Just complete honesty, I don’t even care about dependency, just honesty. What is your most treasured possession?
My children for sure, my daughter is my best female friend in the world.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I think having the life I’ve been able to have, being an artist. I’ve never stuck to anything else. Accomplishment is getting something in your life and being able to hold onto it. It’s been my biggest commitment more than anything. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
All good people are the greatest love of my life. I just love good people.

Where can we find more about you?
Grand Manan! See our behind the scenes video with Mike below!