Contemporary British figurative painter

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 private view by Andrew Graham-Dixon and runs from May 4th-14th.

Along with the usual members portraits there were over 3500 entries from all over the world to the open selection this year, so making the final selection from them was a particularly challenging task, but has resulted I in a very dynamic and interesting exhibition. Do go along and see for yourself. As usual our lovely commissions consultant Annabel Elton will be on hand to help potential clients through the exciting but sometimes daunting business of commissioning a portrait.

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!

Commissioned by his wife Diana for Rodney’s 75th birthday, the whole process was made very enjoyable by their generous hospitality and good company. As a bonus, they gave every impression of approving of the result. The exhibition opens on 5th May and runs until 14th May, 11am-5pm daily.

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.

Painting a photographer was something I had long felt I would like to attempt, so this seemed to present the perfect opportunity. The subsequent sittings proved to be an interesting and stimulating time, comparing the different approaches and disciplines involved in achieving our aims. As this painting was to be included in his portrait of me, I decided that in the interests of symmetry I would include one of his photographs on the wall behind him!

Alistair has had a long and distinguished career photographing many notable international figures and cultural or sporting icons, with over 80 images in the National Portrait Gallery photographic collection.
Most recently, he has completed a series of Legacy Photographs, applying his signature style of portraiture to depict historic collections of notable actors, sportsmen, Britons and musicians.

The exhibition opens at The Mall Galleries on 9 May 2019 until 24th May. 10am-5pm. Open until 7pm on Tuesday 14 and 21 May.

I will be showing two works, Couple (1990) and Woman Cradling Glass Vessel (2010) in the exhibition ‘Family, familiar’ at the Gallery at the Discovery Centre in Winchester, 22nd March-11th May 2014. Described by the gallery as:

“A selection of paintings by members of The Royal Society of Portrait Painters, which takes the theme of ‘family; familiar’ as the starting point for a specially curated exhibition. Featuring self-portraits and portraits of the artists’ family members, as well as portraits of people who have played an important role in the development of their careers by inspiring, supporting and facilitating their creativity.

“This exhibition will be an intimate collection of portraiture, depicting the hidden views and hidden stories in the life of the artists and the people that surround them.”

The exhibition notes to Couple read:

“Painted in 1990 shortly after moving into my new studio, my wife Caroline and I inhabit our own individual spaces whilst nonetheless remaining intimately connected. The small figures seen through the rather theatrical aperture created by the parted curtains of her hair are derived from a painting done in 1969 of us aged 17 entitled ‘Flying’. This is merely a description of how the composition was made: it should not be taken as an attempt to convey any implied meaning, which I hope the viewer will be stimulated to supply for themselves.”

Likewise, the notes to Woman Cradling Glass Vessel read:

“The model was my wife, and the picture was painted in 2010 at a time of personal and various family changes: For instance, I remember that the reflected portrait was done very shortly after putting our son Richard on a plane to live in South Korea. Once again though, this was only a starting point to begin the process of composition, and the intent is that it’s meaning (if any) remains openly ambiguous.”

Michael’s portrait of Paul Beckett, amateur heavyweight boxer, committed Manx lawyer, qualified masseur and tattooed man with an appetite for human rights issues was exhibited at this year’s Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries 24th April-11th May 2008.

The portrait was first discussed in 2004, originally for Beckett’s 50th birthday in October 2006. In the event, Paul said, “light levels in a Manx autumn being what they are, we decided to postpone the work until last July. I sat for 30 hours, staring into a mirror in my wife’s gym at our home, listening to late Beethoven, Schubert and Messiaen. Michael played the same music when he returned to his home in Dorset to complete the work.”

Is Beckett pleased with the end result? “Certainly,” he says, without hesitation. “The portrait is in reflection, and layered with partly hidden meanings. The experience of staring at my own image for such a length of time was utterly cathartic.” Or, as he says about the image on his left thigh: “This is a Japanese Kabuki Theatre image from 1752 – the actor is taking off his costume armour, no longer the warrior but the man within. So too myself, as the lawyer becomes Paul at the end of each working day.”