Born in 1969, Michael John Ashcroft grew up in a small village called Croston in the heart of Lancashire and from an early age he had a keen interest in all things arty. After leaving school in 1985 with top grades in art he began his career as an engineer, painting and sketching only in his spare time. In 1998 he had a major operation to remove a brain tumour and decided to paint more seriously. He returned back to college and completed numerous classes in art including A- level fine art, OCA in portraiture and life drawing classes which he continues to do on a weekly basis.
His paintings have evolved over the years from early abstract acrylics to using oils and more representational works. The foundations that underpin his paintings hasn't changed and that is his fascination with light and dark and his love for the city and the landscape.
Michael's work has become highly sought after and he is seen as being a painter using traditional methods as David Lee Art Critic and editor of the art review magazine The Jackdaw quoted:
There are no secrets in what he does. Being open and honest he tells you directly through his pictures where his interests lie. We don't have to be told by experts the meaning of his work because they are self-evident - we can see them for ourselves. In his landscapes as well as his views of the city, he wiÂ-llingly lays bare his pleasures and beliefs. You can't ask more of any artist than this. He is a worthy heir of those in the great tradition of Lancashire painters.
Michael has gained many awards over the years; his recent ones include being accepted into the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts and gaining entry into the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Royal Society of British Artists and the Howard De Walden Exhibitions in London. His work also gained him a place at the Mall Galleries were he beat over three thousand artists competing on the BBC 2 Art program, Show Me The Monet and became one of only thirty to show their work at the Mall Galleries, London.
Michael studied and works in Lancashire and is represented by galleries in England and Scotland.
