Artist Biography

B. 1971

Originally from County Durham, the North East has always been home.
Despite coming from a large English/Hungarian family, I spent most of my early years being fairly solitary, scribbling and doodling until I was sure it was the thing I was most passionate about.
I couldn’t wait to leave school and following an art foundation course in Harrogate, I obtained a Higher National Diploma (distinction!!) in illustration at Cleveland College of art. Under the wing of an inspiring Life drawing tutor, this is where the distorted figures in my work began.

Aardvarks and jelly babies

On leaving education in 1991 I was given help by the Princes Youth Business Trust to make a modest living from creating papier mache models, flying pigs, polar bears – you know, the usual thing… I once presented a massive orange anteater to Prince Charles whose security team removed it swiftly - I think it went for inspection by the bomb disposal unit.

Then, Joy! My student paintings were all sold from a little gallery in York, it was time to say goodbye to the giraffes and aardvarks. I was going to be a REAL artist.
Bolstered by the positive response to my big, bonny lasses, I got on with building a collection of new paintings while my long suffering chap, Ian, toiled for a year marketing my first collection of fat ladies on greetings cards. During the early years, to make ends meet I also created a range of cards using real jelly babies. These were very popular… though for compassionate reasons I no longer eat them.

I began working with a UK publishing company in 1996 and though this worked out ok for a few years, It became clear that I needed to be independent ... the real dream for most artists is to be free free free!

Jammy Dodger

Over the last 12 years there have been several major Birmingham and London based exhibitions.
The art works have been reproduced as limited edition prints, sculpture, Royal Worcester Ceramic ware, jigsaws and even a nice book.
I am fortunate to have a following of brilliant collectors without whom none of these shenanigans would be possible…Thank you!!