Mike started drawing at the age of ten: neat, accurate drawings of the half-timbered and thatched cottages around his grandparent's house. He studied art at school, developing his drawing technique and also experimenting with oils and pastels.
After degrees in science and mathematics, he had a variety of 'real world' careers including product design, Open University tutoring and managing an electronics company. Mike then decided to slow down a little: he now lives in Egypt and works intermittently in Marine Conservation.
Watching a fellow staff member working on a portrait of a bedouin, he decided to give portraits a try. Using digital photography, it is possible to capture a single expression and then reproduce it. The subject doesn't have to sit completely still for a couple of hours, or even be in the same country as the artist. Over the next few years, he did hundreds of portraits. mostly to the delight of the subject.
The original portraits were minimal- cartoons almost- but as technique and confidence grew, the images became stronger, richer. A graphic artist introduced him to technical drawing pens, which made for much better defined images.
This web site shows examples of Mike's more recent work: for the full portfolio, see my personal web site.