Talented artist Mike wins international competition (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Talented artist Mike wins international competition

CIRENCESTER-based artist Mike Smith has just won a £1,000 prize from the magazine International Artist in a competition for paintings of people.

Over 1,000 entries were received from all over the world and Mike's painting entitled Julia Resting was awarded second prize from some 50 finalists.

Known for over 30 years as one of the country's leading willow basket makers and sellers, Mike gave up this craft in 2000 to work professionally as an artist.

His paintings are totally realistic, arguably falling into the category of photo-realism.

Mike takes the inspiration for his paintings from the work of early 20th century painters like Lord Leighton, Alma Tadema and William Godward.

Like them he delights in the contrast of rich fabrics and the detail of a decorative interior acting as a background for the human figure.

His paintings all feature the female form, sometimes clothed, sometimes lightly draped in exquisitely embroidered silks, organdie or lace.

The images are brought to life by using oils on gessoed board which gives a very fine surface to the work and contributes towards the viewer's first impression that the image must be a photograph.

The competition in International Artist was the first that Mike had entered although he has also achieved success recently by having a painting selected for the Royal West of England Academy's 150th annual exhibition which was held in Bristol at the end of last year.

Co-incidentially, the model for both paintings was Julia Tully, also of Cirencester.

Many people were very surprised when Mike gave up his craft as an acclaimed basket maker to become an artist. "I had become so involved in the painting and felt so committed to developing my skills in order to create pictures that might one day gain recognition, I just had to do it," said Mike, who is also an accomplished musician, playing the Northumbrian pipes and the hurdy gurdy.

He plans to exhibit more widely during 2003 and to launch his own web-site to make his paintings accessible to a wider public.

Mike can be contacted on 01285 643503, mobile 07773 848525 or at mikesrealart@aol.com