The Old Pontoon
Watercolour, size 75cms x 50cms

Michael Hampton (b. 1937) spent 27 years with a commercial art studio in Croydon. He was elected to the Society of Wildlife Artists in 1980. They have their annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, in July. He prefers working in watercolour, and also uses, scraperboard, pastels and acrylic.

Michael is also a member of The Croydon Art Society, which hold shows at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, and shows at Bromley Library and other venues. He has been interviewed for Surrey Occasions and Monocle magazines.

Michael's work has appeared on many magazine covers and calendars. John Aspinall, the late zoo owner, commissioned many paintings of his animals. He has work on display in many private art galleries in the South of England.

Michael was the winner of the World Wide Fund for Nature Fine Art Award in 1987 for a watercolour entitled 'Amur Tiger'. Via the Federation of British Artists, he was commissioned to paint four watercolours of Arabian mammals by Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, of Oman, in 2000.