Michael Johnson

  • Faculty

Biography

Michael Johnson completed a degree in Fine Art at Reading University, followed by a Postgraduate Scholarship at Byam Shaw School of Art. He has been painting and drawing for over 30 years, exhibiting widely in solo and group shows. He has been shortlisted for the Ruskin Prize and selected for the Threadneedle Prize, Marmite Prize, Lynn Painter Stainers Prize, The London Group Biennial, Derwent Art Prize, Discerning Eye and Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. He has a large painting in the collection of the Museum of London and is represented in collections around the world. Alongside his work as a painter Michael has lectured at the National Gallery and worked as a Curator with Norfolk Museums Service.

On drawing

I draw in order to connect with the world around me, in the hope of transmitting feeling, atmosphere and humanity; out of joy, but also ambition: the dream of encompassing a range of emotions and experience. I 'scribble' a great deal too; random marks on scraps of paper which may become something or not. I've learned not to be too hard on the results. A 'good' painting often results from a 'bad' drawing.

Michael Johnson