Born in Aberdeenshire in 1946, Michael Scott (Mike Scott) studied Political Science at Liverpool before doing a one year’s teacher training course in Huddersfield. After moving to Glasgow, Scott took a full-time research post at Glasgow University followed by a lecturing post at the re-named Glasgow Caledonian University. By 1997 demand for his work had become so great that he had to resign his post at the University to paint full time.

Scott studied painting part-time at the Glasgow School of Art under John Boyd for a period of some fifteen years.