I am an artist, illustrator and designer based in Hexham, Northumberland. My work encompasses illustration, visual storytelling, concept development and large-scale public art. Throughout my creative career I have been interested in the ways in which images communicate ideas, reveal stories and help us understand the world around us.

My background in design, interpretation and public art has allowed me to work across a wide variety of projects, developing creative responses to places, landscapes, history and the people who inhabit them.

Through my design practice, Differentia Ltd, I have worked on projects involving public art, interpretation, wayfinding and the creative development of public spaces. These experiences have helped shape my approach to art and design, combining visual imagination with research, narrative and an understanding of place.

Alongside commissioned projects, I have always maintained a personal artistic practice centred on drawing.

Drawing is at the heart of everything I do.

For me, drawing is much more than the creation of an image. It is a means of exploring, questioning, discovering and understanding. It encourages me to slow down, to observe and to make connections that might otherwise go unnoticed. My sketchbooks are an important part of this process. They are places for gathering ideas, recording observations, experimenting with techniques and allowing unexpected thoughts to develop.

Nature, architecture, history and everyday encounters all provide inspiration. I am particularly drawn to the smaller details that can reveal something about the character of a place or the experiences of those who have passed through it.

These observations often become the starting point for larger pieces of work.

Public art and creative thinking

My involvement in public art brings another dimension to my creative practice. I enjoy the challenge of developing artworks that respond to a particular location, combining artistic expression with a strong sense of place.

Working at an architectural scale requires a different way of thinking, bringing together drawing, materials, engineering, fabrication and an understanding of how people experience public spaces.

I am interested in how artworks can reveal the hidden stories of a location, encourage curiosity and create a lasting connection between people and their surroundings. Each commission presents a new opportunity to explore an idea and develop a unique visual language.

Looking forward

I continue to develop personal illustration projects and illustrated publications alongside commissioned public art and experimental work.

I see creativity as an ongoing process of observation, discovery and exploration. There is always something new to see, a story to uncover or an idea waiting to take shape.

“Drawing is a way of thinking, a way of seeing and a way of storytelling.”