HOWLAND TOWNSHIP, OH.- This summer, visitors to The Butler Institute of American Art’s Trumbull branch will be able to see Scotland through the eyes of British photographer, Mike McCartney, as the museum presents “Mike McCartney’s North Highlands,” July 13 through September 2, 2012.

Born in 1944 at the end of World War II, Mike McCartney was educated at the Liverpool Institute High School. Wanting to attend art school, Mike took a great interest in the art of photography. He captured the people and events of the day learning the trade. This became the foundation of a life-long body of work.

Mike entered the entertainment world in the “Liverpool One Fat Lady All Electric,” group, which eventually became the poetic/satirical group SCAFFOLD. Mike changed his name to “McGear” attempting to secure his own identity and avoid the surge of “Beatlemania.” Mike was an integral part of the 1960s Merseybeat era, and involved in both the theatrical and poetic aspects of that time.

In 1967, Mike moved SCAFFOLD into the Pop world, writing their first top five single, “Thank U Very Much.” In 1968, their popular hit “Lily The Pink” reached the top of the charts worldwide. SCAFFOLD’s last top five single, “Liverpool Lou,” was produced by his brother, Paul, with musical support furnished by WINGS.

A 1980s biography by Mike, titled “Thank U Very Much,” was a favorite of Andy Warhol. In that same decade, Mike launched his now renowned photography career with the exhibition “Mike Mac’s White and Blacks.” This exhibit was shown at the Walker Art Gallery (Liverpool), and at the prestigious Photographer’s Gallery (London) before touring the UK, Japan and North America.

Mike experimented with photographic silk screening at Liverpool Art College. Later, Curwen Press (an associate of the Royal Academy of London) printed lithographs of Mike’s images, including those of Little Richard and Gene Vincent, in a signed, limited edition folio. Eleven of his Rock and Roll photographs were exhibited at London’s National Portrait Gallery, and the exhibition “Mike McCartney’s Liverpool Life” (later reproduced in book form) was exhibited in Liverpool and Canada, traveled to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and was recently shown at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland.

In 2005, Mike’s photographs of the Hyde Park “Live8” concert resulted in a hard bound book, “Mike McCartney’s Live8 Coolpix.” A large part of the proceeds from the sale of this book were donated to the Band Aid Trust. Last year Mike’s images were chosen to be the first exhibition at the new £ 72 million Museum of Liverpool and in December 2011, he had the pleasure of showing Queen Elizabeth those photographs.

“Mike McCartney’s North Highlands” was first seen at the Scottish Parliament, before touring Scotland as a part of the nation’s “Year of Homecoming” celebrations. After the Howland exhibition, the show will travel to the Butler Institute in Youngstown, where it will be shown in the Novak Gallery from September 23 through December 30, 2012. The Butler Institute of American Art is the first venue for this exhibition in North America.

Mike is the father of six talented children. He lives in Liverpool with his wife, Rowena, a fashion designer. The covers of the books “Mike McCartney’s Liverpool Life,” “Live8” and “North Highlands” were designed by Mike’s eldest son, Josh.

A full color, hard bound book of the North Highlands exhibition, published by Woodland Publishing, includes contributions from HRH Prince Charles, Billy Connolly (CBC), and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (Master of the Queen’s Music). This book is available from the website www.mikemccartney.co.uk.