Michael Sanders

After leaving Art School with a Fine Art Degree, Michael moved to North Norfolk. At this time he painted landscapes, mainly in watercolour, and became a well known local artist. As he began to travel more in Europe his painting style evolved and he worked a lot more in oils, sometimes on much larger canvasses. He painted in Siena, Florence and Paris and became more interested in texture and strongly contrasting light and shadow. He spent a year living in Bangkok, working in watercolour and charcoal as well as oils. The work was vibrant, with bold strokes of charcoal, usually on paper. Michael then moved to the South of France, drawn by the light and atmosphere and set up a studio in Valbonne. After six years of living abroad, Michael had a strong desire to return to England and put down his roots: “I felt a real urge to return to the UK and its beautiful landscapes”. Mixed media techniques, on both canvas and paper, using a more impasto style together with texture over-painted with washes and translucent glazes help describe foreground detail and texture without becoming too illustrative. “From the moment I could walk I held a paint brush, and all these years later I’m still holding it and making a living as an artist. Painting has always been a kind of spiritual crutch for me – always there to rely on. I paint almost everyday – of course I take holidays but am always desperate to get back to my paints”.