I’m Mick Hand — a portrait artist originally from Yorkshire and now happily based by the sea in Plymouth. My journey with art began as a boy obsessed with drawing, which led me to study Fine Art at Loughborough College of Art & Design. Over the years, my creative path has included work in arts education, public service and corporate residencies, all of which have influenced how I see people and how I tell stories through portraiture.

After several years painting plein air scenes directly from life, I returned to contemporary oil portraiture — creating single and multi-figure works that range from mid to large scale. My approach is painterly, collaborative and rooted in storytelling, aiming to create portraits that act not only as artworks but as a form of social record.

Alongside private commissions, I regularly develop themed and wider-audience–focused portrait projects. My series Ink to Oil: The Portrait Series(2024) represented diverse personal identities across Plymouth through the lens of body art and was exhibited at Royal William Yard. I recently presented The Champagne Room Sessions, a deeply personal project celebrating individuality; a portion of proceeds from the exhibition was donated to The Mustard Tree Macmillan Cancer Support Centre at University Hospitals Plymouth to support people affected by cancer.

My work has been exhibited by the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, including Alison’s Choice from The Champagne Room Sessions, selected for their 2025 Annual Exhibition at Mall Galleries, London. I’ve also collaborated with many remarkable individuals as well as organisations including 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and HMS Drake, Devonport.

I’m now developing my next portrait project for 2026, which is rooted in my values and focuses on impactful lived-experience storytelling through multi-figure portraiture.