Original Paintings, Commissions, Illustrated Gifts & Art Courses

My name is Mike Mills and I’m an award winning artist that has spent more than 25 years creating design led gifts for major high st retailers. A skilled graphic designer and illustrator, I now, channel my artistic vision into capturing the soul of urban environments through watercolour and pen and ink. Recording the details of an urban scene forces you to slow down and really see what’s in front of you… the shapes, colours, sounds, and stories that most people rush past. Sketching and painting pulls you into the moment. You start to notice the play of light on brickwork, the character in every window and rooftop. It’s not just about drawing buildings; it’s about being fully present, connected, and alive to the world around you. My own work reflects this ethos by reimagining iconic landmarks, vibrant street scenes, and cherished spaces with a unique, expressive use of colour. By embracing the hues I feel rather than the ones I see, I invite viewers to experience familiar places in an entirely new light, where grass might be blue, trees purple, and the ordinary transformed into something magical.  Through my easy to follow,  step by step, 4 stage painting process, I now invite others to learn to paint