About me

Born in 1981, I grew up in North Yorkshire. As a child I never knew that I would end up working as an illustrator, but always knew that I wanted to be an artist! From a very young age I discovered I was good at drawing and would often create my own games made from paper, and loved to draw animals and people. I now enjoy many aspects of art including ceramics, graphics, painting and drawing.

I experimented with many different medias and techniques at art college which gave me a chance to discover which field I wanted to specialise in. From college I enrolled onto a graphic design course - but I soon realised that I wanted to pick up my paintbrushes again!

I studied Design: Illustration at the North Wales School of Art, where I gained my BA (hons) Degree in 2003. I became interested in wildlife art, and based my dissertation research on Wildlife Art & Conservation. My interest in this area has grown ever since and is now a huge influence on my story writing. After graduating I worked part-time as an illustrator and gained commissions from a number of publishers. I was very fortunate to have my first picture book, Clever Chameleon, published in 2005 by Barefoot Books, plus a number of other titles.

In 2005, I returned to the North Wales School of Art to study towards my Masters Degree in Illustration for Children, and graduated from the course in 2007. My postgraduate study allowed me to take the time to develop my artwork further, experimenting with different formats inside and outside the boundaries of a picture book.

Art and Design training

MA Illustration for Children
BA (hons) Degree in Design: Illustration
BA (hons) Degree in Graphic Design (1 year)
Centra Life Drawing Levels 1 & 2
A Level 3-Dimensional Design with Ceramics
GCSEs in Art & Design Design and Design & Communication