"I believe that a painting is to be enjoyed, something that lifts your mood whenever you look at it. Art at its most basic level is meant to evoke an emotional response. Sometimes you like a painting without knowing why. This is your emotion overpowering your intellect. When it comes to enjoying art - just go with your gut feeling, not the signature in the corner."

I was born in Albury, NSW in 1971. I moved to Melbourne to study graphic design where I graduated from Swinburne University in 1991. After working for fifteen years in the graphic design & printing industry, I jumped at the opportunity of becoming a stay-home father for my two children when my wife returned to full-time work in 2007. This also marked the start of my art career, something that had been an ambition of mine for a long time, but as is often the case, life (marriage, mortgage & children) gets in the way.

In 2008 I was short-listed for the $150,000 "Signature of M" art prize, and was a finalist in the inaugural Koko Black National Drawing Prize. In October 2009 I was the feature artist at the Mt.Eliza Art Show. My work is held in many private collections in Australia and Japan, including a prestigious Melbourne private school. I am currently represented by Beechworth Fine Art Gallery in rural Victoria.

For more on Geoff Cunningham see www.geoffcunningham.com.au