Light side of life inspired popular artist and author
TRIBUTES have been paid to Birmingham artist and author Michael Richardson who has died at the age of 85 after a battle with cancer.
A former art teacher at four secondary schools in the city, including Blessed Humphrey Middlemore School and Lordswood Girls’ School where he was head of art, he took early retirement in 1988 at the age of 55 and devoted his time to painting.
Known for his dappled landscapes and village scenes, Michael’s paintings in oil pastel or acrylic were bought by art lovers across the world and many of his works were exhibited in several galleries including the Helios in Birmingham and Driffold in Sutton Coldfield, as well as across the UK.
A talented writer who attended Moseley School of Art and Birmingham Art College, he also enjoyed success in the world of books, publishing short stories and poetry while he was still teaching and later two novels.
The Pig Bin was published in 2000 by Birmingham’s renowned Tindal Street Press and led him to winning the Sagittarius Prize, which was awarded to debut novelists over the age of 60. The sequel, Careless Talk, was published in 2007 while a third manuscript is yet unpublished.
Anny, his wife of 56 years who encouraged him to write his novels when cataracts meant he was unable to see properly to paint, described her husband as an occasional vegan, supporter of Greenpeace, part-time Buddhist and a man who lived life to the full.
When Michael was diagnosed with leukaemia in September, he decided to take part in clinical trials at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, determined to overcome the disease.
He faced a further medical challenge in March this year when his right leg was amputated after he contracted necrotising fasciitis.
He remained typically positive, telling his grandchildren that he “didn’t like that leg anyway” and assured them that he would get a prosthetic leg so that he could go for walks.
“He did everything with great bravery and humour and he did so much for other people,” said Anny.
“His nature was to be humorous and that worked well with his teaching. He was a very good teacher. He was super, he really was, and he really loved life.”
In an interview in 2007, Michael said humour was crucial to his writing. He said: “When you are telling a joke, you never quite know if it will work. It’s a relief when it does.
“I found when I was at school my level of written English was mediocre at best.
“I had a breakthrough when it was permissible to be funny. As a teach- er, I used it as an antidote to the notices and procedures and so on that had to be given to the staff. Perhaps I am a bit of a rebel.”
He was always keen to help those less fortunate than himself and completed many charitable activities, including for his local Roman Catholic church.
Among these was volunteering at the Romanian Challenge Appeal, teaching art to the orphans, and also completing two abseils to help raise funds for the Queen Elizabeth Hos- pital, where he had successfully been treated for bowel cancer, and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
His funeral took place at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Rubery, which was attended by about 200 mourners, including former students, artists and colleagues.
Mourners were each given wild flower seeds to sow in his memory while donations were given to Rubery in Bloom.
Tributes have been left on the Facebook page of Blessed Humphrey Middlemore School.
One said: “He will remain one of the few teachers I remember with genuine fondness.”
Another said: “He was genuinely the most inspirational people I have ever had the fortune to meet.”
He is survived by wife Anny, children Emma and Tim and three grandchildren.