Born in 1969, Michael John Ashcroft grew up in a small village called Croston in the heart of Lancashire. After leaving school in 1985 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 tumour and decided to paint more seriously. He returned back to college and completed numerous classes including A- level Fine Art.
His paintings have evolved over the years from early abstract acrylics to using oils and more representational works painted on location. 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 Ashcroft has gained many awards over the years - his most recent accolades are his election as a fully fledged member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI), acceptance into the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, and gaining entry into the Royal Society of British Artists, and the Howard De Walden Exhibitions in London.
His work gained him a place at the Mall Galleries in London, where he beat over three-thousand artists to become a finalist competing on the BBC 2 Art programme Show Me The Monet. He became one of only thirty to show work at the Mall Galleries. 2015 saw Michael's first painting accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London.
Society Member
Associate Member of Royal Institute of Oil Painters (AROI)
Manchester Academy of Fine Art
Awards
Boldbrush Award Winner 2024
Awarded the ROI 2020
New Light Shortlisted 2020 - 2024
Royal Institute of Oil Painters 2020 - 2024
New English Art Club 2020 - 2022
Alan Gourley Memorial Award for Excellence 2020
Royal Institute of Oil Painters
Winner of the Frank Herring Easel Award 2017
BoldBrush Award 2017 Winner
Buxton Spa Prize 3rd Prize 2015
BoldBrush Award, Finalist 2014
Artist of the Year 2013 Highly Commended
Artist of the Year 2013 Finalist
International Artist Finalist
Brownedge art Festival Winner
West Lancashire Open Commendation
South Ribble winner and Peoples prize
Harris Museum Winner 2009
Show Me The Monet Finalist
Exhibitions
Panter & Hall, London, Northern Boys Exhibition 2024
Priory Gallery, Cotswolds, Solo Exhibition 2023
Contemporary Six, Manchester Life, Solo Show 2023
Collect Art Exhibition 2023
Thompsons Gallery Group Exhibition 2023
Artistry House Northern Boys Exhibition 2023
Windermere Gallery Solo Exhibition 2022
MAFA Exhibition 2022
Distinguished Northern Artists Exhibition, Long Gallery 2022
Contemporary Six Gallery, Northern Connections Group Exhibition 2022
Contemporary Six - Solo Exhibition " From Manchester to New York " 2021
Royal Society of British Artists Oldham Art Gallery MAFA 2019
Whitaker Art Gallery Southport MAFA 2019
Royal Institute of Oil Painters 2018
This Is Manchester solo Exhibition Contemporary Six 2018
Royal Institute of Oil Painters 2017 -2024
Contemporary Six Gallery 2017
Colourfield Gallery 2017
Mcgill Duncan Art Gallery 2016, 2017, 2018
New Light Ex Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery 2018
New Light Ex Bankside Gallery, London 2018
New Light Ex Huddersfield Art Gallery 2018
New Light Ex Bowes Museum 2017
Royal Institute of Oil Painters, London 2017, 2018
Buxton Spa Prize 2015, 2016
Royal Institute of Oil Painters, London 2011, 2012, 2014
Howard De Walden Exhibition,
Thompsons Gallery, London 2012, 2013
Hepplestones Fine Art Gallery Solo Exhibition 2012
Colourfield Gallery Visions of Manchester Joint Exhibition 2012
MAFA Spring Exhibition 2013
Royal Society of British Artists 2014
Thompson's Contemporary, London, Exhibition2013, 2014
Artist Of The Year Exhibition 2014 Mall Galleries, London
Harris open Exhibition 2013
John Noott Joint Exhibition 2013
Thompsons Art Gallery, Marylebone Autumn Exhibition 2013
Biscuit Factory Art Gallery, Newcastle Autumn Exhibition 2013
Hepplestones Fine Art Gallery Major solo Exhibition 2012, 2013
Colourfield Gallery Visions of Manchester Joint Exhibition 2012 Show me the Monet, Mall Galleries, London 2012
Magazine Articles and Television Features
Manchester Evening News 2021 'Painter's Tale of Two Great Cities' by
Neal Kealing
Buxton Advertiser 2015
Interview RA Exhibition Manchester TV 2015
Preston and Fylde 2015
Manchester Life Magazine feature 2014
Preston and Fylde Live 2013
The Artist Magazine issue Summer 2012
Manchester Evening News 2012
Art Observer 2012 (Michael J Ashcroft & The Silver Lining)
BBC Newsonline
Radio Times
The telegraph
Show me the Monet BBC
International Artist Magazine
Lancashire Life Magazine
Big Interview Newspaper (Preston)
BBC Radio Lancashire (Interview)
