Michael Taylor

Contemporary British figurative painter

The images shown in the Works section of this permanent exhibition site represent a selection of Michael's oil paintings produced since leaving Goldsmiths College School of Art in 1974.

Most of the works depicted here have been exhibited at various exhibitions and galleries including The Royal Academy of Arts, Beaux Arts (London and Bath), The National Portrait Gallery, and most recently at Waterhouse and Dodd (London), and have been acquired by private or public collections including:

  • The National Portrait Gallery, London
  • The Holburne Museum of Art, Bath
  • The House of Lords Collection of the UK Parliament
  • The former Scheringa Museum, Netherlands

Awards include:

  • The National Portrait Gallery Portrait Prize
  • The Holburne Contemporary Portrait Prize
  • The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Changing Faces Award

Michael is a member of Royal Society of Portrait Painters.

For enquiries about available works for sale, please contact Jonathan (Jonathan.Dodd@waterhousedodd.com) at Waterhouse and Dodd, 16 Savile Row, London W1S 3PL .

There is a Wikipedia page about Michael.

New Still Life

Jug and Bowl

I have recently been concentrating on producing quietly observed and poetical still life compositions, of which this is the latest.

2023 Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition

Caroline with Pine Cone

I shall be exhibiting Caroline with Pine Cone for the first time at this year’s Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition at Mall Galleries, London. Being a lockdown project, it represents one of the few times I have painted Caroline as herself, which explains it’s particular intimacy. This year’s show will be opened at the PV by Andrew Graham-Dixon and runs from May 4th-14th.

June 21st is Stereoscopy Day!

Broken Camera with Red Curtain

June 21st is Stereoscopy day!...yes, #stereoscopyday and from now on will be every year, it is worldwide and I'm a supporter, so listen up or visit https://stereoscopyday.wordpress.com/ The painting on the right represents the autopsy of my much loved but now ex-stereoscopic camera (A 35mm Edixa). I often use stereo transparencies as a studio aid, so my contribution here is to share an article I have written on the techniques and benefits of the practice.

Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition 2022

Rodney Williams

I will be showing my new portrait of Rodney Williams at this year’s Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London. The commission came just at the tail end of the second lockdown, so I naturally welcomed the chance to engage with the outside world again, and paint someone other than myself or Caroline!

Attic Stories: Exhibition at The Art Stable, 5th Feb-5th March 2022

Seated Girl with Three-tiered Table

Attic Stories.

I will be having an exhibition of ten selected works at Kelly Ross's Child Okeford gallery The Art Stable in the lovely Dorset village of Child Okeford.

Having lived and worked in Child Okeford for over 30 years, I am particularly delighted to be having this exhibition at The Art Stable, https://www.theartstable.co.uk/ having known Kelly since she opened the gallery in 2006.

Exhibition now open at Waterhouse & Dodd, London.

Spirit Iron

My exhibition at Waterhouse and Dodd's Savile Row gallery is now open. Despite the prevailing difficulties, gallery director Jamie Anderson will be in attendance at all times and welcomes visitors to view the works by appointment.

Forthcoming London exhibition

Still Life with Cello

Waterhouse & Dodd will be holding an exhibition of my recent work at their Savile Row space from 20th October - 13th November 2020. In light of the current Covid-19 situation this will be primarily an on-line exhibition, but for those who are willing to risk it, the actual paintings will be available for viewing at 16 Savile Row, London W1S 3PL by appointment.

New still life at London Art Fair.

Copper Basket with Fruit

Waterhouse and Dodd will be showing a new still life, Copper Basket with Fruit at the London Art Fair, Islington. They will be exhibiting works by Frank Auerbach, Henry Moore and Ben Johnson, alongside represented contemporary artists Martyn Brewster, and Clive Head.

Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair, Miami. 9th -12th Jan 2020.

Attic Scene with Grave Goods

Waterhouse and Dodd will be taking three of my works to the Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair, Miami. Also works by Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Norman Bluhm, Georges Braque, Salvador Dali and others

Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition 2019

Portrait of the Photographer with Seated Girl

This year I shall be exhibiting Portrait of the Photographer with Seated Girl at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries.

Portrait photographer Alistair Morrison approached me last year with a proposal to collaborate on a Sit for me sitting for you project to be entitled Portrait of the Artist through the Artist's eyes.



Except where shown, copyright to the images on this website remains with The Artist (M R Taylor).
The reproduction, transmission, performance, display, rental, lending or storage of the images in any form or in any retrieval system is prohibited without the written consent of the copyright holders.

Michael Taylor is a contemporary Brtish artist and portrait painter. Michael Tayler, Michael Tailor, Micheal Taylor. Art by Michael Taylor (The Artist).

Site design by Philip Rees.