About the Artist...

I was born in 1974 and have lived in Guildford all my life.

My Dad was a Graphic designer and artist. His paintings and pen and ink drawings filled the house. My Dad used oils to paint and liked doing scenes from the recent past like the 20's-50's, old cars, pretty women, Jazz scenes, crowds of people enjoying themselves, cartoony paintings. Dad used many different styles as well as art materials.

I am a big UK humour comic fan (Beano, Whoopee, Buster..etc..) and my original desire was to be a successful cartoonist and draw for the comics. I used to draw comics with my Dad most evenings. I even had a early printing machine a jelly substance which I could print off my comics to give to people. I used to win cartooning contests at school and my mates and teachers were very impressed with my cartoons. I often used them in my school work and was very humourous it made people smile or even laugh (see for yourself at this website for my cartoon work)

My favourite artists
I love the beautiful woman figure in art..
John W Waterhouse I have posters of A Mermaid and Lady of Shalott my wife likes them as well!
Edward Mucha artist we have postcards of his work all in the bathroom
I like the Pre-Raphaelites
Renoir I love his happy party scenes by the river
Rolf Harris for his bold use of colours..I've read some of his book on art and cartooning and helped me to experiment with colour myself..
Tony Hart for making art fun and full of new ideas
Rolf's cartoon club and Hart Beat are on www.youtube.com
I'm also very fond of old drawn adverts and magazine covers with good strong designs.

After having a cartoon book published with my Dad The Pilgrim Family a humourous Christian book (I drew the cartoon for my Church for 5 years which I still go to today). See examples of my published cartoon work on this site..

I got a B in Art and Drama
I did a BTEC in Business and Finance enjoyed Media studies best..at the same time did a year in A Level Art which was too tough to do in one year..so didn't do very well..
Then did a BTEC in Graphic Design which gets you to do all kinds of art and using many different materials..a great place to experiment..loved it
Then did three years in a degree in Graphic Design which I got a 2.2 did mostly Computer Animation. At this time I did some years as a youth club worker at the YMCA getting teens to draw cartoons with me..a cartoon workshop..

Later after gettinjg married I started selling my cartoon cards at various craft fairs (soon it will be 4 craft fairs a Month) and also doing volunteeer work for Oxfam bookshop and working one day a week with learning disabilities in the art centre.

My wife has been very encouraging and got me to go into a paint your own plate shop..this got me being creative again after a long time..It was the same time I was creating a website for my Dad's paintings and art who had died not long ago from cancer. It was very inspiring and amazing how much work Dad had done..I was about to start doing the Maltings craft fair in Farnham two years ago this Month and I was wondering what else I could sell other than my cartoon cards on my stall.
I'd just watched lots of Tony Hart's Hart Beat on youtube and saw his amazing drawing of an elephant he did and that got me having a go myself..

My third attempt at drawing a Cheetah this time with its baby went well this was the magic moment! My sister who had just had a baby wanted the picture and that encouragement got me drawing more and more..until today I've drawn over 100 pictures in two years..

A friend from Church who takes wildlife photos and sells his own cards let me use his photos to draw from. We have all been going to Marwell wildlife centre and we love the wildlife centre in Lingfield to see Badgers, Red Squirrels, foxes, otters and deer.

I've recently got better at drawing thanks to the help from an artist friend with very useful tips see her most weeks showing my new artwork.

I'm preparing more my work before I start and getting more bolder. Also leaving it for a bit and working more on it after getting lots of feedback from people..with fresh eyes you can make improvements.

My cards are now selling in various shops.
I'm also in Petworth Astarte gallery
http://www.theastartegallery.co.uk/artist.php

Its been a long journey But it is only the beginning..