My Story

"The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration."

Claude Monet

My love of drawing started a very early age and my mum tells me I was a habitual doodler even as a toddler. I've had lots of jobs over the years but I am never as happy when I can sit at my desk and make my thoughts come alive. In 2005 I was lucky enough to secure a postition in the BBC Props Department and ended up working there for 3 years. Thats me (pictured right) with the Trotter's van from the much loved British tv classic Only Fools and Horses. Below are various photos of the props department as it was in the 1960s up until I worked there in the early 2000s. As you can probably tell, most days I was rushed off my feet!

Portsmouth University Illustration Degree and the high cost of acrylics.

In 2005 after completing a Foundation Course at Fulham College I left the BBC to embark upon my University Degree in Illustration. I already had a National Diploma in Cartooning which put me in good stead for the 3 years work ahead of me and had been drawing portraits and caricatures for years but felt that I needed a professional qualification under my belt.

The picture (right) shows the latter stages of a friendly protest held by fellow mature art student Gerald Hunter then aged 71 when in the summer of 2006 the price of acrylic paints hit the roof! So one bright Friday morning Gerald bravely decided to make his voice heard!

Pictured (right) is Gerald in his studio with his lovely wife Rita who both recieved recieved 6 month suspended sentences for disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct. At a separate trial Rita was found guitly of assaulting a police officer and recieved a custodial sentence of 4 months. Sadly to this day the price of acyrlic paint continues to rise.