Local artist dies after car crash injury

Much-respected Lania-based artist Michael Owen passed away on January 4 after being badly injured in a car accident just before Christmas. Known principally as a landscape painter and regarded as Cyprus’ leading watercolourist, he was 85 and still painting.

A naturalised Cypriot, Michael was born in Northumberland, UK. He started painting in his late teens when serving with the Royal Air Force in Malaya.

Having travelled extensively in Scandinavia and the Middle East, in 1965 Michael went to New Zealand and studied painting under Louise Henderson in Auckland. From 1969 till 1971, he travelled and painted in Australia and New Guinea. In 1971 he arrived in Cyprus where he and his wife Jacqueline decided to make their home.

He and Jacqueline were very much involved in the crisis in 1974 providing support to refugees who had been evacuated to Limassol. For the next 50 years he travelled the length and breadth of Cyprus collecting material for his work.

He worked primarily in oil and watercolour from his studio in Lania and from his shepherd’s hut on the Akamas Peninsula. More recently he was the originator of the highly successful Lania Library and the organiser of the display banners showing traditional village life.

Michael’s work can be found in the National Gallery of Cyprus, the Limassol Municipality, the Presidential Palace, the Cyprus Parliament and in private collections in 56 countries.

Major exhibitions include The Dead Zone, 2001 Nicosia Hilton; Akamas – Karpasia, 2008 and 45 Years of Michael Owen Gallery, 2018 E.KA.TE.

Michael is survived by his wife Jacqueline, and for the many people who would travel to Lania to see Michael, his gallery is temporarily closed. The re-opening date will be announced on www.michaelowengallery.com.