Michael Kirkham

Lecturer

Communication Design, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design

Michael Kirkham
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Biography

Michael is an illustrator and educator who works internationally for clients including The New Yorker, The Guardian, The New York Times, Penguin Random House and Google.

A central theme in his work is the depiction of the emotional experience of spaces. Referencing the work of Giotto and other Proto-Renaissance artists, he plays with multiple viewpoints and expressionistic use of scale. He combines a background in screen printing with digital techniques to craft his complex yet concise imagery.

His teaching practice is the meeting point of his extensive industry experience and his central belief in a whole-hearted artistic exploration, wherever that might lead. Drawing, in the broadest sense, is held in the utmost importance as he sees this as the primary means by which students can gain access to themselves.

Michael graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2006 and has been represented by the Heart Agency in London and New York since 2007. His work has been recognised by the Association of Illustrators, American Illustration, D&AD and the V&A. He has illustrated books on Frank Lloyd Wright, the history of car design and the poetry of Wendy Cope for publishers such as Laurence King and Faber & Faber. He has contributed to numerous major newspapers and magazines in the UK and USA and the permanent collections of Aerospace Bristol and Sea City Museum in Southampton.