Mike Samson was born in Ramsgate in 1959. Educated at St. George's Secondary Modern and subsequently joined the Army, serving in the Royal Tank Regiment. It was during his military career in Germany and Northern Ireland he rediscovered the joy of painting again, whilst acting as a guide for Ken Howard (Now Professor Ken Howard OBE RA). Ken was at that time working for the MOD and the Imperial War Museum. In 1986 Mike left the Army and went to work in the Paper Industry, in his free time he would paint whenever time allowed and whenever family life permitted. After a chance meeting with an old Headmaster from primary school days, Mr Ralph Martin, Mike joined Acol Art Group. During one of the group exhibitions Mike was introduced to Matthew Alexander.
Matthew introduced him to the serious pursuit of 'On site painting' (Plein Air) and in many ways taught Mike 'to see' beyond the obvious. Without doubt Ken Howard and Matthew Alexander have both influenced Mike's painting and encouraged him to understand the landscape and how to depict it on canvas. Following redundancy at the end of 2011, Mike spent months in his home studio and out on site learning to hone his craft and develop his own language with the paint. Painting far more frequently 'Plein Air', often alone for many hours. Then using the onsite sketches to create larger works in his Ramsgate studio. "The journey of painting is never ending and I discover something new every time I paint."
Mike now enjoys retirement in a studio in York Street, Ramsgate at the rear of York Street Gallery. He paints in Oils, Watercolours and Acrylics.