# Michael Cruickshank
*Landscape painter and painting instructor*

Michael Cruickshank is an English landscape painter whose work captures the changing light and atmosphere of the British countryside and beyond. Born in 1957 and working in oils and watercolors, Michael paints directly from nature wherever possible, producing oil sketches that capture fleeting moments before returning to the studio to develop more finished works. His paintings are rooted in close observation and a deep sensitivity to the qualities of a place.

Michael studied Fine Art and Painting at Exeter College of Art, graduating in 1980. During his time at Exeter, he developed a lifelong love of landscape painting inspired by the rugged beauty of Dartmoor and Exmoor. He now lives and works in his native Sussex, where the daily shifts in light and weather across the South Downs provide an endless supply of atmospheric subjects. His landscape painting courses at Bradness Gallery have been listed among the "Top 10 art courses in the country" by BBC Countryfile Magazine.

Michael has exhibited extensively throughout the south of England, and since setting up Bradness Gallery in 1993, the gallery has become the main home for his work. His paintings are held in private and corporate collections across the UK, Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and South Africa, with corporate commissions including work for Toyota, Inchcape, Royal Bank of Scotland, and others.

Learn more about Michael Cruickshank and his work by visiting his [website](https://michaelcruickshank.co.uk/), or follow him on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/michaelcruickshankartist/) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/michaeljohncruickshank/).

**Connect:** [Website](https://michaelcruickshank.co.uk/) · [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/michaeljohncruickshank/) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/michaelcruickshankartist/)

## Retreats led by Michael Cruickshank

### Exploring, Mixing, and Developing Colors in Landscapes and Florals - Retreat with Artists Michael Cruickshank and Emma Burnett in France
September 13 - 20, 2027 · Concourson-sur-Layon, France · $4,500
Instructors: Emma Burnett, Michael Cruickshank
[Details](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/retreat/exploring-mixing-developing-colors-landscapes-florals-artists-michael-cruickshank-emma-burnett-france) · [Book on uptrek.com →](https://uptrek.com/retreat/exploring-mixing-developing-colors-landscapes-florals-artists-michael-cruickshank-emma-burnett-france#book)

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**Last updated:** 2026-05-07