ABOUT
Mike Pickett is a self-taught artist, musician and all round creative soul with a passion for impact.
His art is an evolving exploration of the human soul, wildlife, light, and illustration that takes Mike from one medium or subject to the next. Largely black and white themed, with the occasional splash of colour, his pieces draw inspiration from many sources including individuals from Mike’s everyday life, wildlife and animals, photography, music, philanthropy, the human form and psyche, other artists, travel, and more.
“I have created drawings based on incredible humans that I have not met yet, as well as those who inspire me in person on a daily basis… and it’s not just humans, I am really drawn to wild animals and conservation.”
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, the arts were instilled in Mike from an early age. Initially, this came through music which has been the longest, and arguably greatest, passion in Mike’s life to date. In particular, he discovered the magic of the piano which he began playing at the age of 6. From Canada, Mike moved with his family to England and the unspoilt, natural beauty of North Norfolk. Piano became a huge interest and inspiration through his teenage years and remains even more so today. Mike has a number of other hobbies that form an important part of his life, including yoga, creative arts and travel.
Whilst Mike studied a little art in his school days, this is where his art endeavours ended - or at least paused for a long period of time. It wasn’t until 17 years later at age 33 that Mike walked past an art store in West London, and his passion for art was (re)born.
“I just picked up a pencil one day and off I went. And then pencil evolved to charcoal, which evolved to chalk and paint... I am excited to see what comes next!”
In 2018 after a year of self tuition, Mike created his Instagram page Pencil & Piano (@pencilandpiano) to start sharing his evolving art (and a little piano!) with a wider audience. In 2022, Mike was shortlisted as a finalist in the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation ‘Wildlife Artist of the Year 2022’.
Mike takes select commissions and also has collaborated philanthropically with brands and other creatives to try and make a difference, with recent examples including mental health and suicide prevention with Beder, Breast Cancer Awareness, wildlife conservation with the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, social impact projects in Africa, raising money for WWF Australia, and other charitable and creative ventures. In a short space of time, his art has made it to shores as far away as Tahiti in the French Polynesia, across the Atlantic to New York, to Australia, and a few walls closer to home in West London....
Follow Mike’s ‘Pencil & Piano’ Instagram account here: