As a few long-standing collectors of mine will know, I started off my practice as a wildlife sculptor. For over twenty years, I worked as a commercial artist, producing sculpture both for my own portfolio & practice, as well as 3rd parties.

When that came to an end a decade ago, I instinctively turned to wall art. It proved a steep learning curve!

But I persevered and made the transition from 3D to 2D with gradual success. For me, the key that unlocked the work, lay in approaching each new piece with a single objective: capturing something of each animal's 'soul'. To that end, I research each new subject extensively, aiming to find the 'look' that best encapsulates the inspiration - or emotion - that I'm looking for.

In 2019, my partner Gary & I began showing my work at the well-regarded Craft Fair in Cirencester (running in The Corn Hall every Saturday for many decades, the market is an essential avenue for local artists).

As we're all-too aware however, 2020 hasn't exactly unfolded according to plan!

But it DID prove a blessing-in-disguise for my practice. You see, for many years now, I've been painting Fantasy pieces as a 'secret pressure valve'; a way of letting off creative steam when things weren't going right elsewhere. During the first lockdown I decided that, if I were to continue painting at all, it would be this Fantasy series at the exclusion of anything else.

Nothing else mattered: my 'safety valve' would now be my main practice.

And, I have to say, that as the world of my imagining has expanded, with each new picture referencing others in some way, I haven't looked back. I only hope you find as much joy looking at the work, as I've been lucky to find in their creation...