KS: Michael, the first thing we should talk about is the success of the kickstarter project you came up with recently. Within only a couple of days, you reached your goal of $10,000 and now have a lot of portrait commissions to look forward to! Congratulations! Would you tell me how the project came together?

MS: Thanks Kaspian! I have a lot of work ahead of me and I can honestly say that I’ve never been so excited to create art in my life! And it’s all thanks to the wonderful support of those who enjoy and want to see more of what I do. I had been wanting to make a tutorial for a while now and when I found out about Kickstarter, I knew that this was my chance not only to do that but to give back to the fans that inspired me to want to do so in the first place. Since I don’t have the funds or resources for such a large-scale project, I decided to use Kickstarter and its brilliant use of crowd-funding as my platform. I figured if people truly wanted to see these portraits and tutorial video in the world, they would have the power to help bring it to life. The response has been overwhelming thus far and we still have 20 days to go! I’m so grateful for the support, encouragement, and genuine excitement backers have shown me. I can’t tell you how encouraging it is. This is quite the undertaking and I know it is going to improve my art and change my life. It already has! I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow throughout this exciting process, and share my journey and the beautiful things that are sure to come out of it with those who are interested.

KS: I know it came as quite a surprise for you when you realised you had such a strong fan base behind you. I hear from a lot of artists that they still doubt themselves even at more advanced stages of their career. Do you feel like you’ve had your big breakthrough moment yet?

MS: To say that I was blown away by the response would be a complete understatement. When I started this project I had no idea how fans would react to my lofty ambition to take on 365 daily portraits, dozens of drawing/painting commissions, and a full-length tutorial all in the span of 1 short year! I am thrilled about its success and so grateful for how supportive everyone has been so far, but of course there were questions and uncertainty running through my mind before the launch… Who am I to want to create a tutorial? How many people actually like my work? What if this bombs? You and I have talked briefly about this before, but what surprises me more than anything else is that anyone would think I would be so sure of myself and therefore free of any doubt about my work. I am still in the early stages of my career but even if I were more well-known, doubt and all those other monsters kind of just come with being an artist. Really, they just come with being human! The way I see it is that I have two choices… I could let doubt overtake me and destroy everything in its path or I could use the gift of doubt to drive me to be better. I’ve explored both roads many times and can tell you from experience that the key to success is in the latter.
In regards to whether or not I feel I’ve had my big breakthrough moment yet, I don’t know. I was never really after a “big moment”. I’ve enjoyed the nice, steady incline in popularity and in the improvement of my work. I’ve learned a lot about myself and my art since graduating in 2007 and I’d like to think that has been reflected in the quality and level of my work.   

KS: Many of us probably came across the story of a school recently hosting a ‘Michael Shapcott Day’. That is so cool, you must have been really honoured! Kids painting in your style, eating the food you like!! How did you find out about the event?

MS: Yes, it felt great to be acknowledged in that way and I am truly touched by such an honor. The art students from MCHS in Kentucky and their teacher, Ms. Stewart, are absolutely incredible. Ms. Stewart contacted me a few months back explaining their plans for the semester-long project, ending the first of many emails back and forth with “What are your favorite foods?” Haha! From that point, I knew it was going to be a lot of fun and was thrilled that an art class halfway across the country would see my work online and like it as much as they do. I really enjoyed hearing about their experience and seeing all of the beautiful pictures they sent from the day. Those kids did an amazing job interpreting my work. There is a lot of young talent in that town so watch out!

KS: Now, you probably already know I’m your fan and that I really admire your painting technique! I was fascinated when I first saw one of your videos because it’s pretty similar to how I build up my own stuff. Always nice to watch a fellow artist work! Could you provide our readers a little insight into your ‘painting over a detailed drawing’ technique? Will there be more tutorials in the future?

MS: Thanks Kaspian! I’m a big fan of yours as well! When I first began painting directly over my drawings, I think I was simply trying to emphasis my strength and love for graphite. I knew I could draw and have always loved the feel of unfinished work, so my natural inclination was to find a way to allow the graphite to show through and work within the painting. I accomplished that by spraying my drawings with a fixatif and building up the paint in thin washes of color. Painting has always been intuitive for me so I experimented and played and let whatever emotion I felt come through in splashes and splatters. Over time, it developed into a ritual and style that I continue to build upon today. With every layer of color, I find I am adding another layer of emotion. I like to think about that when I complete a painting. I look closely at the lines and splashes and try to retrace the mosiac history of the piece. I think people find the technique appealing because it is less intimidating to paint when you have the drawing there to help guide your brush. I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned so far in the upcoming tutorial, but as far as future tutorials are concerned, we shall see. I don’t like to get too ahead of myself, so right now I’ll be dedicating myself to this one, doing everything I can to make it something people find helpful, fun, and inspiring.

KS: My last question (as usual) is, why did you decide to join an artist collective, and what are your hopes and expectations?

MS: How could I refuse? This collective is a totally bad ass group of artists. I honestly admire every single artist in this group and find it a real privilege to be among them. I feel supported and truly appreciate conversing with smart, kind, and talented individuals who can relate to what it means to be an artist. We are learning so much from one another and I feel a real trust here. There is strength in numbers and with the love and openness this group possesses, I feel like the sky’s the limit! I am so excited for the shows we have coming up and can’t wait to see what we are capable of accomplishing together.  

KS: Thanks a lot for the interview, Michael! I hope you enjoyed it! :)

MS: I always enjoy talking with you Kaspian! Thank you for the great questions! :)

Find out how you can take part in Michael’s exciting new kickstarter project at www.DrawingADrawing.com.

I’m sorry it’s been a little quiet lately but everyone’s busy working for our shows and individual projects. I can assure you there will be more interviews and updates soon, though, so be sure to check back regularly. We’ve also added some PRISMA badges to our shop in case you haven’t seen them yet!

Anyway, just thought I’d say hi and let you know the site’s got a bit of a new look. Lots of fresh greys, white, and pink. Looking forward to adding tons of content before our first mini show this summer. :)

We’ve also got a Tumblr that I update as often as I can.

The darker, creepy elements in Bagshaw’s paintings are often balanced out with quirky or humorous details which are charming for the viewer to discover. While feminine beauty plays a large role in his work, the women he depicts are never frail damsels in distress. More often than not they’re strong, intriguing characters, with an air of mystery to them.

I believe art should be attainable to everyone, visually or mentally.  This is something I strive for in my work.  Art should be a viewing experience.  I love when I can look at a painting and be entranced by it, in awe of its application or just the wonder of it.