Revolve Gallery

Michael John Ashcroft

Michael has had a rapid rise to success in the last couple of years and is fast becoming one of the North West’s foremost artists in Landscape painting. His paintings have received many awards including becoming a finalist in the International Artist Magazine competition and also winner of the Harris open Exhibition. His paintings are becoming highly desirable and are held in collections all over the country. Recently awarded from thousands of applicants fellowship to the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts and for exhibition in late 2011 at the Royal Institute of Oil painters.

Background

Michael was born in 1969 in a small village called Croston in the heart of Lancashire. After leaving school in 1985 with top grades in Art and Design he began his career working as an engineer, painting and sketching only in his spare time. Since 1998 after undergoing a major operation he decided to take painting more seriously. After winning a place in the top ten landscape artists of the International Artist Magazine competition his work has become highly sought after. He has recently had a sell out exhibition in Oxford. Michael has also been featured in several Artist magazines and newspapers, and also includes interviews on local and BBC radio stations.

Inspiration

Michael’s inspiration is taken from the mass of subject matter that surrounds us today. From sunlight just hitting the side of a barn sitting in luscious green fields, to dark urban street scenes lit only by the street lights. His passion for wanting to capture the high contrasts between light and dark is the most important part of the painting. Michael Says, “There isn’t a more magical time than when the sun’s just dipping below the trees on a warm summer night, the shadows and light are at their most intense.”

Michael has been inspired by artists such as Edward Hopper, Van Gogh and more recently John Singer Sergeant and Kyfin Williams.

To canvas

Michael works primarily on board sing oils in the traditional way using brush and palette knife. Starting with a thin turpsy under painting working up to thicker layers. He uses photographs to aid his process to capture the light in an instant. Michael also emphasises the need for painting studies outdoors in order to enhance his awareness of light and colour, this helps him produce a more accomplished painting in the studio.