Fadi Mikhail was born in Harlow, Essex in 1984 to Egyptian parents. Before graduating from The Slade School of Fine Art, London, Fadi was apprenticed to the renowned Egyptian icon-painter Prof. Isaac Fanous in Los Angeles, where he trained as an iconographer. In 2013, Fadi was commissioned by Royal Mail to produce their 2013 Christmas stamp ‘Theotokos’. Soon after he was again commissioned to produce 2 matching icons for HRH Prince of Wales and his recently born grandson Prince George. Several churches and cathedrals worldwide are decorated with paintings by the artist, and he is equally collected by international ambassadors and clergy.

 

Fadi’s work has always taken 2 parallel routes – that of Egyptian Christian (Coptic) Iconography (work can be seen at www.ukcopticicons.com), and that of figurative oil painting.

 

The subjects or inspiration for his figurative works are drawn from his love of all things literary, childlike and fantastic. From stories like Mary Poppins, Narnia, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Peter Pan, Fadi celebrates images and stories he has enjoyed since his youth.

 

From European folklore, to Roald Dahl's fictional characters, to Walt Disney’s films, Fadi remains determined to relive images of his youth by painting them over and over in thick semi-abstracted daubs of oil until a satisfactory balance of shape, colour, line and structure has been found. It is this pushing and pulling of paint to create the same 'hard-won' image spoken of about Frank Auerbach and Leon Kossoff's work that Fadi finds most interesting.

 

 

Gallery Representation

Highgate Contemporary Art

Hayletts Gallery, Maldon

LuminaireArts.co.uk

 

Notable Commissions

HRH Prince of Wales
TRHs Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Royal Mail (Christmas Stamp 2013)

Ambassador of Russia

Baroness Cox

 

Exhibitions:


2017

UPCOMING EXHIBITION

Highgate Contemporary Art, London
(13th Dec - 7th Jan)

 

Sky Arts Landscape Artist Of the Year 2017
Participant

 

Essex Men Artists

Hayletts Gallery, Maldon

 

2016

Noel Noel, A Winter Collection

Highgate Contemporary Art, London

 

Graham Webber and Fadi Mikhail
(2-man show)

Aubrey Art Gallery, Great Dunmow

 

2015

Summer Exhibition: Washington Green

Castle Fine Art, ICC, Birmingham

 

Summer Mixed Exhibition

Hayletts Gallery, Maldon

 

Summer In Highgate

Highgate Contemporary Art, London

 

Picasso: Masters Past & Future

Gallery Rouge, Harpenden

 

Royal College of Art

20/21 International Art Fair (Highgate Contemporary Art)

 

New English Art Club Open Exhibition

Shortlisted

 

2014

Present Arts

Parndon Mill, Harlow

 

2012
Fadi Mikhail, A Solo Exhibition

Hillingdon House, Old Harlow

 


Media & Press

 

Featured Artist/Winner of Heat1 of Sky's Landscape Artist of the Year 2017 - Cass Arts Online Blog

Featured Artist - British Philatelic Bulletin (Nov 2013)

Featured Artist - Design Week Online
(Oct 2013)

Guest Artist - Premier Radio (2011, '12, '13)