Michael Alford is a highly regarded British figurative painter born in Cookham, Berkshire in 1958 who now lives and works in London. Michael’s varied body of work reflects his interest in many types of painting. He is well known for powerful cityscapes of contemporary urban centers, especially London and for landscapes that capture diverse geographies through the eyes of a passionate traveler. His paintings of figures, clothed and nude, are sought after for their combination of fine draughtsmanship, acute observation and sense of drama. 

His early art training came from his father, a colonel in the Royal Engineers, who taught him to draw in perspective from a young age. Later as an adult he studied art at the Slade School and the Chelsea School of Art.

Michael draws inspiration from his many travels to destinations including North Africa, India, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and North America. He has worked as an official war artist for the British Military on three occasions. In 2011 and 2013 he accompanied troops to Helmand Province, Afganhistan. In 2016, a third military commission took him to Iraq. Michael has won awards including the Stanley Guiness Prize, 2016 from the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Green and Stone Oil Painting Prize, the Agnes Reeve Memorial Prize for best painting of London and the Prima Luce Mural Prize. He is a former council member of the Chelsea Arts Society. In 2017 he participated in Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year competition.