Mike Skinner

Born on one of the largest East London council estates in the UK, Mike spent his formative years, like most of his peers, hanging around street corners in the general dereliction of East London.  Although not a very inspiring start, Mike had grandparents on the Essex/Suffolk borders so spent school holidays with them in an idyllic and almost arcadian landscape. His grandfather was an amateur artist and had the biggest influence on his future life. Learning to see thing in a different way, Mike began to draw and paint.

After attending Bedford Park School, and leaving with virtually no qualifications save Art, Mike was accepted on his portfolio to Barking Art School where he did an art foundation and a course in 3 Dimensional Art and Design.

Fast forward and Mike is working as freelance artist and designer.  He lives and works central London and rural Gloucestershire.

For the last 15 years he has been working as an artist to commissions mainly for designers’ architects and corporations. For the most part his work has been site specific.

Mike's artworks are driven by a client’s brief with his main interest being modern British subjects.

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The work ranges from abstract to figurative and he does not restrict his use of materials and methods used in the image making process.

He has exhibited at various galleries and events. Most notably: London, The Royal Academy of Arts, The Mall Gallery, The Brick Lane Gallery, The Menier Gallery, Christies Fine Art London, Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. The West Country, The Victoria Art Gallery Bath, The Corinium Museum Cirencester, The Paragon Gallery, Sixteen Gallery, Spring Gallery, Cheltenham, The Broadway Arts Festival Broadway, The Royal Academy West Bristol