"I was born in Surrey in September 1948 and moved to Brighton at the age of eight. From 1964 to 1968 I studied graphics and illustration at Brighton College of Art and went on to become a successful freelance illustrator. During the 1970’s and 80’s my work appeared in publishing and advertising in Britain, Europe and the U.S.A. and included over one hundred book covers. During this period I was also commissioned to do a series of paintings for a large format deluxe edition of the classic adventure story ‘She’ by Rider Haggard, which was published in 1981. One painting from this project was purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum and others have appeared in illustration annuals and books on fantasy art.

Landscape had always been the main subject of my illustration work and in 1996 I turned to pure landscape painting and gave up illustration commissions.

Freed from the restrictions of illustration, this gave me the opportunity to work on a much larger scale and to explore a more personal sense of mood and atmosphere through the play of light. I’m particularly drawn to the quality of light that occurs soon after dawn and before dusk that can reveal a poetic, dramatic or dreamlike quality.

I work in pure watercolour, using no white or body colour, building up many layers of transparent washes to create luminosity and tonal contrast.

I am based in Brighton and have for some years been painting the South Downs. I am also involved in an ongoing project making paintings of some of the most wild and beautiful areas of Britain and Ireland.

I am a member of The Fine Art Trade Guild and of the Brighton Fiveways Artists Group where I have an annual exhibition. My work can also be seen in a number of galleries in London and the south east of England.

I am married with two adult children."

Mike Embden, 2006