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Mike Willdridge studied Graphic Design at Ravensbourne College of Art then worked as a designer, in the printing industry, as a soldier in the army and an art teacher. He took early retirement in 2006 after a teaching career in which he ran the art departments of two independent schools in England. From 2001 he has taught adults, mostly from his studio in Devon. In 2014 he stopped teaching on a regular day-to-day basis, moved to Dorset and now concentrates on his own work. He does, however, do a small amount of tutoring on painting holidays as well as as demonstrations for local art groups. Up until recently, his own work had been exclusively two dimensional (painting and printmaking) and taken from real life through sketchbook observations and photography. He works in a loose and free painting style and usually develops his work in the studio. For some time Mike has been interested in abstraction and recently committed himself to the challenge of moving towards abstraction. He has exhibited regularly throughout his teaching career. 1995 Sutton Valence, Kent 1996 Sutton Valence, Kent 1998 Sutton Valence, Kent 1999 Llewellyn Alexander, London 2001 Sutton Valence, Kent 2004 Eggesford Gallery, Devon 2005 Open Studios, Devon 2006 Eggesford Gallery, Devon 2007 Charlesworth Nichol, Crediton, Devon Open Studios, Devon Llewellyn Alexander, London 2008 Armed Forces Art Society, Mall Gallery, London Eggesford Art Group, Crediton, Devon 2009 Open Studios, Devon Eggesford Gallery, Devon Discerning Eye, Mall Gallery, London Royal West of England Academy, Bristol - Open Print 2010 The Albany Gallery, Cardiff Armed Forces Art Society, Mall Gallery, London Llewellyn Alexander, London Armed Forces Art Society, Mall Gallery, London The Albany Gallery, Cardiff 2011 The Burton Gallery, Bideford The Redearth Gallery, Devon – print exhibition Armed Forces Art Society, Mall Gallery, London 2012 Eggesford Gallery, Devon 2013 Burton Gallery, Devon Burton Gallery, Devon 2014 Eggesford Gallery, Devon 2015 Open Studio, Beaminster, Dorset Somerset Art Weeks, Somerset 2016 Dorset Art Weeks, Beaminster, Dorset Mall Gallery, London (Armed Forces Art Society) Gallery 41, Corfe Castle, Dorset 2017 Beaminster Festival Group Exhibition Crewkerne Pop-Up Group Exhibition 2018 Dorset Art Weeks, Beaminster, Dorset Menier Gallery, London (Armed Forces Art Society) 2022 Gallery on the Square, Poundbury, Dorset Jubilee Hall, Poundbury |