Michael Loates

(1947 - )

Michael Loates was born in Orpington, Kent in 1947 and has a deep-rooted interest in natural history as far back as he can recall.
Having worked as a freelance illustrator in London, he moved to work from his home in Sussex on the subjects he feels dedicated to. He had his work published on the front cover of the RSPB Magazine ‘Birds’ in 1976 and has been used by them ever since.

He has contributed to many major volumes on Natural History subjects and in 1979 was commissioned to paint a number of plates for the ‘Doomsday Book of Animals’. These highly praised paintings, notably the game fowl are examples of some of his finest work to date – a selection of which were featured on BBC 1’s Pebble Mill at One programme.

His exhibitions have included The Society of Wildlife Artists, The Tyron and the Sladmore Galleries in London.

His interest in Birds is purely an appreciation of what he considers a beautiful and important element of the landscape. As an ardent angler he also paints fish “I am fascinated by water, particularly moorland boulder streams and spend much time observing its movement”.