a little bit about my work
The majority of my work features animals and nature. This is partly because the natural world offers such a varied and dramatic backdrop to work with; but also because – from Aesop’s Fables through Grimm’s fairytales to the present day, animals have represented such an important way into the worlds, real and imagined, which children love and learn from.
To me, the woodland landscape is a natural door to Narnia, filled with surprises and exciting journeys to be had and characters along the way. Childhood is a uniquely special time when the imagination is at its most free, and I want to create worlds which nurture that imagination. In doing so, and through the joyful escapism of pictures for children, I hope to also bring some meaning to the many experiences; some delightful, some challenging; which children encounter every day but which us adults so easily lose sight of.
Whilst I enjoy discovering new techniques, and mix digital with traditional, drawing underpins everything that I do. I love colour and experimenting with colour; but it is rare that any piece doesn’t begin with doodles in a page-margin and a simple black pen. Wherever you are, I hope the result takes you somewhere else, even if it’s just for a little while.