Michael was born in England and came to Canada when as an infant. After leaving home at 15, and working various occupations in Northern Ontario, he now resides next to the studio he built for himself on a woodlot north of Toronto -- the perfect location for his frequent painting forays into the wilderness.
Michael spent many of his formative years working in Canada's north as a lumberjack, prospector and trapper. Deep in the rugged northern forests the light, particularly the slanting, richly hued light of early morning and twilight, enthralled him. In his early 20's, he devoted himself to being an artist. With inspiration from Tom Thomson of the Group of Seven, Michael's paintings capture the interplay of light, water and organic forms in nature.