Mike is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Shrewsbury since 1993. Being creative from a very early age, he studied illustration at Portsmouth College of Art & Design. He went on to work as an illustrator for architectural and archeological companies. He moved to Shropshire over thirty years ago to pursue his passion for wildlife conservation. Mike now combines environmental, community and arts projects with his creative skills and runs a successful graphic design business – MA Creative, based in Shrewsbury.
Mike turned his attention to linocut printing a few years ago and has since experimented with a wider range of printmaking techniques, such as etching, drypoint and collograph.
Linocut printing lends itself very comfortably with Mike’s approach to imagery. He uses strong colour and shape to create his quirky, individual style. A strong compositional awareness creates a journey through the picture, inspired by, rather than depicting a specific scene. Much of his work is based on nature, landscape and seaside, developed from a long interest in the natural environment. He regularly adds a human element to the picture, enabling engagement with the viewer and contrasting with the countryside scenes.