Early influences

From the Old Masters to the Modern Art movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, these traditions have had a profound and lasting influence on my work. Their approach to composition, colour, and storytelling continues to inform how I think about image-making today.

After some careful retouching, enhancement, and general care and attention, I am now able to revisit much of this work and share it with a wider audience.

After leaving Salford Art College in the late seventies, I began working as a freelance illustrator — and I loved it.

A working life in illustration

At that time, the market for editorial and advertising illustration was thriving. Signing with an artists’ agent was essential, so even before graduating from college, I headed to London and signed with a flamboyant agent on Wardour Street, right in the heart of Soho.

I was seventeen, a working-class kid from Manchester in the North of England, so it’s fair to say those surroundings were a little different for me — but what an eye-opener.

For more than four decades, I have painted, illustrated, and designed for magazine publishers and advertising agencies across the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia. And I am still learning.

Returning to the work

Like many artists, I have boxes filled with artwork that might otherwise never see the light of day again. But after discovering new online platforms, I’ve found an opportunity to rework these illustrations with thoughtful design elements and share them once more.

My two daughters both love art, and they continue to amaze me with their natural talent. If I can find a little online success and learn from the wider creative community, who knows — this may yet become a family business.

This site is a continuation of that journey — shared quietly, and with care.

Thank you to anyone who drops by, and for taking the time to read this.