(1915-2001) Michael Chase's artistic career started late after his service as an officer in the army throughout World War II. By happy chance he was able to manage and direct important art galleries and centres from 1948-74 and had close contact with many leading artists of the day, John Piper, Michael Rothenstein, Edwards Bawden, Julian Trevelyan, John Nash, Winifred Nicholson and many others, also giving the famous Australian painter Arthur Boyd his first London showing - all this providing the background of his artistic education as opposed to more conventional study in specialised schools. Despite drawing and painting all his life whenever possible, he did not commence day to day work as a painter until 1976 when he was utterly captivated by the medium of water colour and it's infinite possibilities. His innovative use of large tubes of paint rather than tiny pans of colour in a box, as well as all sorts of brushes from the house painting variety on down, almost immediately opened doors and invitations to exhibit followed non-stop. Since 1976, he has had some twenty one-man exhibitions in every part of the country in addition to taking part in many mixed exhibitions including the R.A. and the R.W.S. open shows at Bankside from 1982-86. Art Group Ltd have published seven paintings as posters since 1989 and his works are featured in many public collections and Education Committees. His varied subject matter ranges from landscape interpretation to abstraction and draws from visits to France, Italy, Greece and Egypt as well as England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.