Born in Ayr, Michael studied at the Edinburgh College of Art from 1979 - 1983. Through an early love of film he began working for the BBC in Glasgow before moving to London in 1989 to work as a freelance art director and illustrator. A simultaneous career as a fine artist proved very successful and he has held solo shows across the country. He has won numerous awards for his work over the years, including the Art Hire Prize at the Paisley Art Institute where he is an active member. He returned with his family to Scotland just before the millennium and now paints in his Ayrshire studio overlooking the River Doon. Corporate collections include the Royal Bank of Scotland, The Maclaurin Trust Collection and First State Investments