Michael Sangster attended Foundation Course at Chester Technical College in 1975, and from 76-79 studied at Chelsea School of Art under Norman Blamey and Ken Kiff. Between 79-82 he was a post-graduate student at the Royal Academy Schools where he was taught by Peter Greenham and Leonard McComb. On leaving art school he travelled Europe, visiting museums, and painted for a year in a remote mountain village in Italy.
Returning to London in 1983 he worked part time at the Bankside Gallery under Michael Spender, and began work as an art teacher for the ILEA. In 1986 he began working on portrait commissions, and in the early 90’s worked part-time as a gallery assistant at the Kapil Jariwala Gallery, Burlington Street; also attending Mark Balakjan’s etching course at Morley College. In 97’ he joined the Royal Academy School’s Alumni Association, and was elected Chairman in 99’.
During the next four years, aside from the day to day administration of the association, he organised and curated two major alumni exhibitions in Florence and Cheltenham, designing the catalogues for each exhibition. He also organised a series of high quality lectures. During this time he began to lecture himself on the iconography of the Renaissance.
In 2003 he took up a post teaching Art History for Hounslow Adult Education and in the following year gained a City & Guilds Teacher Training Certificate. As well as Arty History he taught Painting and Drawing to Special Needs Students.
In recent years Michael Sangster has painted more or less full-time from Kenmont Hall Studios, Kensal Green. In 2012 he was elected a member of the Art Workers Guild, and in 2013 he held a successful one man exhibition at Gallery 27, Cork Street, London.