Born in Sheffield, England in 1933, Michael Tyzack studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, gaining his D.F.A. (Lond.), in Painting, Drawing and Printmaking in 1955 from London University. His most influential teachers were William Townsend, Victor Pasmore, Lucien Freud and Sir William Coldstream.

In the past five decades, Tyzack was the recipient of many distinguished awards, including a French Government Scholarship in Fine Art, First Prize in the 1965 John Moores Liverpool Exhibition, (Jury chairman: Clement Greenberg), a Welsh Arts Council Commission and several College of Charleston Foundation Awards. His one-person exhibits span some 35 years and include those at Axiom Gallery, London, England; Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland; Galerie Allen, Vancouver, Canada; the Corcorcan Gallery, Washington, DC and cities throughout Southeastern USA.

His most recent solo show, "Appropriate to the Moment," consisted of a series of eighteen lozenge shaped paintings made between 1989 and 2001, held at the College of Charleston's Halsey Gallery in September 2001. The accompanying catalog also contains 22 color reproductions, and essays by NY curator and critic Judy Collischan, art historian Diane Chambers Johnson, and Halsey Gallery director, Mark Sloan.

Since 1955, his work has appeared in over fifty group shows in the UK as well as: France, Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Brazil, Australia, Canada, etc. and such international surveys as "New Shapes of Color" originating at the Stedlijk Museum in Amsterdam, "Documenta IV" in Kassell, Germany and "Systeemi/System" in Helsinki, Finland. Most recently his work will appear in the forthcoming exhibition "British Abstract Painting and Sculpture from 1960 -1970" at Tate Liverpool from April 5 through October 5, 2003. His paintings are in the permanent public collections of over 30 museums, including Tate Britain, London, England; National Gallery of Wales, Cardiff, Wales; Gallery of Ontario, Canada and the Kunstmuseum, Bern, Switzerland. Tyzack's extensive critical bibliography includes a citation in the new edition of "Dictionary of Artists in Britain--Since 1945" Editor, David Buchman.

Through its Foundation Office, the College of Charleston has established "The Tyzack Prize" to be awarded annually to a graduating Studio Art major who demonstrates exceptional artistic promise. Winners will be selected by the Studio Art faculty. To make a contribution, contact the College of Charleston Foundation, and specify the "Tyzack Prize Fund".