Mike Bagshaw

Mike Bagshaw believes that authentic art emerges from the core self—a dynamic interplay of social and physical environment, personal history, and temperament. Born and raised in Salford, Mike’s artistic journey began early when, at the age of 12, he was nominated by his school art teacher, Stan Derbyshire, to attend Saturday morning art classes for local children led by Harold Riley, a close friend of L.S. Lowry. Riley, a Slade School alumnus from the late 1950s, became a significant influence. He taught Mike to observe closely and appreciate the expressive qualities of drawing. Many formative hours were spent sketching taxidermy animals at Buille Hill Park Museum, guided by Riley’s generous advice and encouraging demonstrations.

At 18, Mike began his formal art education at Leicester and later at Ravensbourne. However, feeling out of step with the art world at the time, he left early and pursued a degree in psychology. This led to a long and varied career—first as a Prison Psychologist, then as a Business Psychologist in the commercial sector, and finally as a University Lecturer. He retired at 68 after more than three decades in the field.

Though art took a back seat during his professional life, Mike’s passion for drawing and painting never truly faded. His background in psychology has since deepened his engagement with portraiture, a genre he feels powerfully captures both the physical presence and psychological depth of the subject. For Mike, art has become not only a rekindled passion but also a vital source of wellbeing and personal meaning.

His intention for the future is to develop his work on the intersection of traditional technical skill and emotional and psychological depth. He is impressed by the work of Jenny Saville, Alison lambert, Adrian Ghenie, Michaël Borremans and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.