Michael Hepburn

Michael Hepburn is a Greenock artist who specialises in pastel paintings and is primarily self-taught. He prefers pastels because of the wide range of pre-mixed colour variations and soft appearance of the finished work. His main aim is to produce a warm naturalistic effect; through colour, light and tonal values.

Michael’s paintings cover a number of genres; including seascapes, landscapes, figurative, still life and wildlife. He grew up near the Firth of Clyde, which is a place with a long shipbuilding tradition, and why maritime art is close to his heart. His dad used to work on the paddle steamers and brought Michael with him on numerous trips. These excursions nurtured Michael’s interest in the subject – an interest that is still with him to this day. Furthermore, his high school art teacher was renowned maritime artist James Watt.

His work has been exhibited at The Royal Scottish Academy, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine arts, The Pastel Society in London and a variety of other galleries throughout the UK.

Michael works mainly from commissions. Due to the demand for his originals, he has decided to have some of his artwork made into giclée prints and fine art cards, so that his output can be seen by a wider audience.

Among Michael’s favourite artists are Michelangelo, Albrecht Dürer, Jan Vermeer and Edgar Degas. All four artists have influenced Michael’s work, and his style of painting has been likened to that of French Impressionist Alfred Sisley.

His work resides in a number of private collections. Namely those of the McLean Museum, the late Sir Arnold Clark, The Clyde Maritime Trust, Clydeport, the late Norman Godman MP, Cory Tugs, Clyde Shipping Tugs and Karlsen Shipping.