Featured artist: Michael John Ashcroft
The Glasshouse Stores, London, 20x16, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
After facing a life-altering health scare, British artist Michael John Ashcroft found himself drawn back to painting with a renewed purpose. Known for his atmospheric cityscapes and serene landscapes, Ashcroft has since become a member of several of England's most prestigious oil painting societies.
Exchange Square Commuters, 12x12, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: As a child, you dreamed of becoming an animator. Does that early passion influence the way you approach oil painting today? Do you find movement or storytelling elements in your work, even as a static medium?
Yes, I wanted to be an animator; I wrote a letter to Tony Hart, who used to host a popular TV program in the late 1970s called Take Hart. He kindly wrote back and sent me some animation acetates from the series. I still have the letter somewhere.
I think it still inspires my work; I always liked to create a mood or scene, especially with the night paintings. I learned quite a lot watching and drawing cartoons, especially about shadows and color harmonies.
The No.28 Tram, Lisbon, 12x12, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: Instead of an animator, you became an engineer for 20 years before your life took a turn that brought you back to painting. Can you tell us more about that?
I was thinking about going to art college after leaving school, and my dad had found me a job in engineering to see me through while I was deciding what to do, but as soon as I had some money in my pocket, I became reliant on it and enjoyed buying cars and motorbikes. It was a few years later, after I had been getting lots of headaches that I was diagnosed with a large tumor close to my brain. I was 28 years old. I had a 12-hour operation at Manchester Royal Infirmary to remove it, but it left me with voice and swallowing difficulties and total deafness on one side. I remember, shortly after the operation, shuffling to the hospital window and seeing my reflection looking back at me. Half my face was in sunlight and looked normal, and the other side of my face was in shade, and it looked like someone I didn’t recognise. My face had drooped, and I had a shaved head and a large scar running from the top of my head down to my neck. It was such a poignant moment; I decided there and then that I was going to be an artist and record what had happened to me. I never looked back.
I started painting abstracts with acrylics and pastels and quickly moved on to oils, painting urban and landscape scenes. Soon after that, I started to win some awards, and one of the accolades was being a finalist in the International American Art Magazine Award. Then, a gallery picked me up and started to show and sell my work. It’s been an amazing journey, and I wouldn’t change what’s happened to me; it really did change my life forever, especially after becoming a member of the prestigious Royal Institute of Oil Painters in London many years later.
The Humpback Bridge at Lathom, 9x12, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: Do you find yourself more drawn to painting landscapes or cityscapes, and what about that particular environment resonates with you as an artist?
I love painting both for different reasons. The landscapes are painted mainly on location (en plein air). I enjoy searching for a good spot to paint, which usually has a nice pub nearby for lunch.
The urban paintings came from my love of the city. I remember, as a lad, I always had a fascination with the buzz and bright lights, which continues to this day. I can also be quite melancholic, and I try to portray that in my work sometimes. The urban paintings are mostly done in the studio, but over the years, I have been doing more on location.
After Hours, Oxford Road, Manchester, 12x9, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: How does painting on location in different settings influence your choice of colors, textures, and the overall mood of your work?
I tend to paint what I see. I’m not too good at making things up, and I like to find the right composition and mood that I’m after without altering anything too much. This is why I always carry a camera with me so I can snap away and instantly capture a moment wherever I might be.
Exchange Square Commuters, 12x12, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: You paint the pubs of Manchester and even have a book featuring a collection of your favorites. What captivates you about these iconic spaces? Is it the atmosphere, the architecture, or something else that inspires you to capture them on panel?
Yes, I absolutely love a pub! From being a little lad, my grandad used to take us to a country pub every now and then for lunch, and I always looked forward to it. The roaring fire, the smell of ale, and the chatter from the punters, I love the ambience. My book came about after not being well again. I had found out that I had a rare genetic fault that creates multiple tumors and had been back in hospital to remove two more from my neck. I was struggling to get motivated in the studio, and my wife Debbie said to paint what you love, and that’s what I did. I painted Manchester pubs. It was amazing. It got me back out into the field, finding all the wonderful pubs and ale houses that Manchester has to offer. I find the buildings interesting; pubs seem to have a unique look, especially here in England, where they are usually very old and full of character. I have started a new series of London pubs, so hopefully, a new book will be coming out soon.
The Queens Head Soho, London, 20x16, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: Several of your pieces are currently in The Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition in London, in which you received the Dartington Crystal Chalice Award 2024. Tell us more about this exhibit and how locals can see it in person.
The Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition starts on the 28th of November and runs until the 14th of December at the Mall Galleries in London. The ROI has a well-earned reputation for attracting talented artists worldwide and is a must-see exhibition for anybody interested in art, especially oils. For more information, check out the Mall Galleries website.
Carnaby Street and Shakespeares Head, London, 9x12, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: You are part of a distinguished group of Great Britain plein air painters called The Northern Boys. How did this group come together and are there any exciting projects or exhibitions planned for 2025?
The group started out small with 2 or 3 artists and gradually built up to 10. We have all painted or met each other before and decided to set up the group and call ourselves The Northern Boys. We do have a lady artist, too. Other artists have asked to join us, but we all agreed to keep it small and manageable. We have painted worldwide, from Edinburgh in December to the extreme heat of Venice in Italy. We don’t currently have any plans for 2025; we go when and where the mood takes us.
The San Telmo Bridge, Seville, 9x12, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: How does your experience differ when painting with The Northern Boys compared to working alone? Do you find that the energy of a group influences your creative process?
It does make a difference; being an artist can be quite solitary, but painting with like-minded artists is amazing and inspires you to paint more often, and in places, you might not go by yourself. I also like painting alone and concentrating on my own path. I think it’s good to have a mixture.
The Blackfriar, London, 10x8, oil on Ampersand Gessobord
Q: How did you discover Ampersand, and what do you appreciate most about Gessobord for your work?
I discovered Ampersand boards a few years ago and immediately fell in love with them. I couldn’t believe the difference they made to the painting. They seem to give you confidence in applying the paint. I particularly like the smoothness of the Gessobord; it’s perfect for how I paint. My dad used to prep my boards, but he can now retire!
Artist Bio:
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 tumor and decided to paint more seriously. He returned 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 weekly.
His paintings have evolved over the years from early abstract acrylics to using oils and more representational works. The foundations that underpin his paintings haven’t changed, and that is his fascination with light and dark and his love for the city and the landscape.
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 (ROI), The Royal Society of British Artists, and the Howard De Walden Exhibitions in London. His work also gained him a place at the Mall Galleries, where he beat over three thousand artists competing on the BBC Two Art program Show Me the Monet and became one of only thirty artists to show their work at the Mall Galleries, London.
Michael is based in Lancashire where he originally studied. His works are shown in galleries in the UK, and Michael has collectors from all over the world. To see more of Michael's work visit his website, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
