About

I developed an interest in Natural History at a very early age when on family walks around the local farmland. An interest in art quickly followed as I tried to copy the pictures in my ever growing collection of animal books. I remember watching 'Animal Magic' on the television where Keith Shackleton drew animals and often had Robert Gillmor as a guest showing his artwork which I found quite inspiring. My interests continued to grow throughout my school days and then during my time studying Graphic Illustration at Liverpool Polytechnic/ John Moores University.

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On leaving full-time education I began doing illustrative work for design agencies and started to exhibit at the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) annual exhibition in London. Whilst exhibiting there I won the R.S.P.B Fine Art Award and was lucky enough to have it presented to me by Keith Shackleton and Robert Gillmor. Sir David Attenborough also judged my work to be runner-up in the 'Natural World Award' which was very encouraging.

 

Reference for my work came from sketchbooks filled on frequent trips throughout my local 'patch' – places including Oglet, Seaforth, Crosby and Hilbre, as well as the local fields and woodlands. I worked mostly in watercolour but I soon began to experiment with oils and other mediums such as scraperboard.

 

I later got involved when Marion Tuffrey had the vision of setting up the 'National Exhibition of Wildlife Art' (N.E.W.A) in the nineties. It was while exhibiting at N.E.W.A in 1998 that I was approached to become the full-time artist for Chester Zoo. I then spent almost twenty years working with some wonderful people and some amazing animals – a world away from my previous experiences working with native wildlife.

 

I am currently still living in Tarbock, enjoying the local area whilst also taking trips to other locations further afield such as Bass Rock, Lindisfarne, Farne Islands  and Skomer. I have recently started to exhibit once again at the annual SWLA exhibition.