Michael Upton was born in Birmingham in 1938 and studied at Birmingham College of Art and Royal Academy Schools. He was awarded many scholarships and awards throughout his painting career including Leverhulme Scholarship- Royal Academy Schools, Abbey Scholarship, Cassandra Foundation Award- New York, South West Arts Major Award and Singer and Freidlander Prize. He taught art in Canada and at Maidstone College of Art before becoming a visiting lecturer at Nottingham College of Art and The Royal College of Art.

His works can be found in collections throughout Britain and abroad and in the collections of the Arts Council of Great Britain, the British Council and the Government Art Collection.

His work was exhibited in numerous solo shows including the Yale Centre for British Art, Conneticut, Anthony Ralph Gallery, New York, Cassian de Vere Cole Fine Art in London and the Richard DeMarco Gallery in Edinburgh.

A highly collectable and well respected artist, Michael lived and worked in Mousehole, West Cornwall before his death in 2002.