Michael Ives, current artist-in-residence at the Masterworks Foundation's Terrace Gallery in Dockyard, describes painting as "a life sentence" for all artists.

"Luckily, I am not frustrated enough that it has made me mad at the world," he says. "I have been able to make it work for me."

Indeed, the Arizona-based artist enjoys a thriving livelihood that sees him working on multiple canvases per day, as well as folk art objets created from found wood, all of which sell like hotcakes.

"I tell people I'm not trying to be like Walt Disney, but I do a lot of different things, and I have my studio broken up to do a lot of different things," he says. "I work outside at certain times of the day, and indoors at others. I have three to four different projects going each day, which keeps things fresh and fun, and makes me very prolific. At the end of the week I have a body of work done."

Lest that suggest that Mr. Ives is no more than a one-man commercial band who simply churns things out with the bottom line in mind, he confesses that, while the formula pays the bills, selling his work is akin to saying goodbye to a child because he has put so much of himself into creating each piece.

"There is nothing wrong with selling your work, even though I hate it. It's how I pay my bills," he says.

The fact that Mr. Ives, who holds an Associate degree in architecture, fills his days with so much creativity is due, in part, to the fact that he was a "late bloomer" as an artist. He spent many years of his life as a technical illustrator in an office setting - an environment he liked less and less, until one day he simply quit his $800-a-week job on four hours' notice, and headed to the artists' mecca of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

It is a decision he has never regretted. On the contrary, he says the office experience was an invaluable learning tool.

"It taught me to see a job through professionally; how to organise an office; how to keep files; and how to conduct myself professionally, so that when my art leaves my easel it is serious business," he says. "I have to present myself well, and in such a way that people know I am for real and not some kook off the street who thinks he's an artist.

"There are a lot of artists who are much better than me, but their stuff will stay on their kitchen tables for the rest of their lives because they won't make the effort to learn how to go about marketing themselves."

His brother, a renowned professional National Geographic photographer, also taught him invaluable lessons which have added to his success, including "how to marry art with the real world", and basic composition.

"When you have a paint brush in your hand 14 hours a day, something is going to happen," he says. "When you have the correct formula you can make the decision whether your art is a hobby or a business."

Admittedly a poor academic student who preferred to doodle all day, the self-taught artist has today not only made a sound decision but found his niche, as a result of which he happily draws viewers into a bright and colourful world with his fanciful paintings, and strikes a nostalgic chord with lovingly crafted, charming folk art.

"I do a lot of Southern folk art, and some are wooden snakes with the darndest colours," he says. "I am interested in the transformation of form - taking it and beating the poo out of it. I am not interested in painting things that are very realistic, or being realistic with something.

"It is important that my work has some kind of action. My paintings are moving, and they strike diagonals. I am not real cerebral in my work. They are all basic visuals."

While he says that he is "not trying to teach a lot of lessons" with his work, Mr. Ives admits that it "seems to be evolving" more towards the human element.

"As I look at work I have done I like to depict mankind at its work - the human condition going about its day," he says.

With his one-man exhibition at the Masterworks Foundation Arrowroot Factory Gallery in the Botanical Gardens from this Saturday, November 23 to December 1, residents will have a chance to see for themselves the Ives take on Bermuda, an Island he loves and has visited before.

Just as Arizona's bright blue skies, fresh air, incredible light and shadows of pink, purple and turquoise inspired him to move away from Chicago, so too do Bermuda's elements inspire him as an artist - not least because of the subtle changes that climatic conditions produce.

"The clouds and water are so transient that you can have ten different moods in an evening's time. No wonder you have artists depicting a lot of different senses here. There is a lot to interpret," he says. "The clouds are straight up in huge vertical columns like nowhere I have ever seen. There is nothing like broken clouds to create a wonderful mood.

"Since I have been here, it is sunny one minute and dead black the next, so I find myself jumping around. I can either be outside working, or sitting in the studio. The atmosphere absolutely envelops you. I also love it when it rains here because I have this beautiful studio at Dockyard. I turn on the BBC and just paint."

Masterworks Arrowroot Factory Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Admission is free.