Biography

Born 1950, in South Lincolnshire. During his childhood he spent two years in North Africa and a further three in Malaya. After leaving school at 16, he went to Farnham Art School where he did a Pre-Diploma Course before moving to Sheffield where he studied for a Diploma in Art and Design in Fine Art, graduating in 1971 with First Class Honours.

Michael worked in the props department at the newly opened Crucible Theatre in Sheffield before taking up a teaching appointment at Hartlepool College of Art. He stayed there a year before moving to London to study on a Postgraduate course at Chelsea Art School. During this time, he exhibited in the Northern Young Contemporaries at the Whitworth Art gallery in Manchester and in the first International Drawing Biennale in Middlesbrough.

After graduating from Chelsea Art School, Michael started to teach full time in the Art Department at Loughton College of Further Education. He taught there for fifteen years, two of his students being Michael Landy (1) and Mark Wallinger (2). In 1989 Michael began teaching at Colchester Art School where he ran the Printmaking Studio for over twenty years. Throughout his long teaching career, he continued to develop his own work and to exhibit on a regular basis. In 1981 he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers and in 2013 was elected as a member of the Royal Watercolour Society. He has been an active participant in the local art scene exhibiting with Colchester Art Society, 12 PM Printmakers and the Colchester based group the Paint Collective while also taking part in Colchester Open Studios. His work can be seen at the Bankside gallery in London.

Solo shows include: 2003 University of Newfoundland, Harlow, Essex; 2002 Hay Gallery, Colchester, Essex; 2001 Digby Gallery, Colchester, Essex; 2001 Inkpen Downie, Colchester, Essex.

Mixed exhibitions: Regularly at the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Society of Painter Etchers: New English Art Club 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023; 2019 Spotlight at the Bankside Gallery; 2018 The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition Mall Galleries, London; 2017 Contemporary Masters from the East of England, The Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk; 2017 LOPF The Royal Academy, London; 2016 PING, The Minories, Colchester and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Solo shows: 2003 University of Newfoundland, Harlow, Essex; 2002 Hay Gallery, Colchester; 2001 Digby Gallery, Colchester; 2001 Inkpen Downie, Colchester, Essex.

Works in public collections include: The Victoria and Albert Museum; Harlow Arts Trust; MIMA (3); Diploma Collection the Royal Watercolour Society; Diploma Collection the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers; Colchester and Ipswich Museums collection, and the Priseman Seabrook collection.

Statement

Working both as a painter and printmaker Michael’s worked has evolved and changed over the years. One consistent thread that runs through it is a commitment to drawing. Working from observation the drawings reflect a keen interest in the external world, the landscape and the urban environment. Using both print and painting allows for a variety of approaches.

Landscape from the Railway

“The Landscape from the Railway is literally that. As part of deciding what to paint for the Borders exhibition (4). I took the train from Colchester to Ipswich. I was looking out at the landscape flashing by and decided to take some photographs while the train was in motion. I just snapped away without much thought of composition. When looking at the photos later I realised I found two I could use - a pair of images which showed the same field probably half a second apart as the train travelled along. Among the various elements there was a dark shadow in the foreground from the train and embankment cast by the winter sun. Also, a post which came into view. This pushes the landscape further back. Past the post and shadows paths across the field lead the eye up to the horizon. I was intrigued by the idea that it was similar to two stills from a movie. The warm reddish brown of the field complimented the blue sky and dark foreground.”

Solo Exhibitions

2003 University of Newfoundland, Harlow, Essex

2002 Hay Gallery, Colchester, Essex

2001 Digby Gallery, Colchester, Essex

2001 Inkpen Downie, Colchester, Essex

Mixed Exhibitions

2019 Spotlight The Bankside Gallery   

2019 New English Art Club

2018 The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition Mall Galleries, London

2017 Contemporary Masters from the East of England, The Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk

2017 LOPF The Royal Academy, London

2016 PING, The Minories, Colchester

2016 New English Art Club

2015 Firstsite Open, Firstsite, Colchester

2015 The Masters- Relief prints, Bankside Gallery

2015 Watercolour Journeys, Bankside Gallery

2015 The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition

2014 Eastern Open, King’s Lynn, Norfolk

2014 London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy. London

2014 30 years of 12PM, The Minories, Colchester.

2014 Discover Essex Collections, Gibberd Gallery, Harlow Art Trust.

2013 RE Annual Show, Bankside Gallery, London

2013 London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy, London                                               

2013 Watercolour Now, RWS Autumn exhibition, Bankside Gallery London       

2013 Sketch 2013 Open Sketchbook Drawing Prize, Rabley Drawing Centre. 

2012 Vision and Reality, Norwich Castle Open Art Show

2012 Visions of East Anglia, Colchester Art Society, The Minories, Colchester   

2012 Miniatures, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield

2012 Norwich Castle Open Art Show 2012

2012 Bite: Artists making prints, Mall Galleries, London

2012 RE Open Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London

2012 Eastern Open, King’s Lynn, Norfolk

2012 RWS Contemporary Watercolour Competition, Bankside Gallery, London

2012 Highgate Contemporary Art, London

2011 The London Group

2011 Mini Pictures Show, Bankside Gallery, London

2011 Eastern Open, King’s Lynn, Norfolk

2011 Material Worlds, The Forum, Norwich

2011 The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

2010 Colchester Fine Art Open, The Minories, Colchester

2010 Brighton Arts Fair, Brighton

2010 Summer Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London

2010 ING The Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London

2010 Diverse Realisms, The Minories, Colchester, Essex

2010 Spring Exhibition, Colchester Art Society, Love Bistro, Colchester, Essex

2010 Eastern Open, King’s Lynn, Norfolk

2009 Highgate Contemporary Art, Highgate, London

2009 RWA 7th Open Print Exhibition, Bristol

2009 Eastern Open, Kings Lynn, Norfolk

Works in Public Collection

The Victoria and Albert Museum

Harlow Arts Trust

MIMA

Diploma Collection The Royal Watercolour Society

Diploma Collection The Royal Society of Painter Printmakers

The Priseman Seabrook Collection

Publications

editors: Anne Desmet and Anthony Dyson. A&C Black, London 2006 ISBN 0-7136-7387-7

printmakers’ secrets, Anthony Dyson. A&C Black, London 2009 ISBN978-0-7136-8911-2

Sketch 2013 Open Sketchbook Prize. Rabley Drawing Centre, Marlborough, Wiltshire 2013 ISBN 978 -0- 992681715

Watercolour Secrets. Jill Leman RWS. Bloomsbury Visual Arts, London 2014 ISBN987-1-4081-8427-1

Contemporary Masters from the East of England. Robert Priseman. Seabrook Press ISBN 9781541144057

Print REbels. Edward Twohig RE. The Royal Society of Painter Printmakers ISBN 978 1 5272 1775 1

Printmaking Today. Spring 2019. Vol 28 Issue 109

Michael Middleton’s website

Royal Watercolour Society website

Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers’ website

Bankside Gallery’s website

(1) Michael Landy CBE, RA. British artist, renowned for his installation Break Down (2001)

(2) Mark Wallinger is a contemporary British artist, winning the Turner Prize in 2007 for his installation State Britain.

(3) Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art.

(4) The Borders exhibition was a joint venture between CAS and Ipswich Art Society 2022.