WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A KID
It changed quite a lot, I never really knew but I went through the phases of air hostess and backing dancer, as I danced for years. I have always drawn as well, though. Art was my main focus all the way through high school up to the present day. It came to a point in my life where I had to choose between dancing or art as they both took a lot of commitment. In the end I chose art, which developed to wanting become an illustrator. It always seemed to be about travelling and creativity, exploring and discovery! It still is to be honest.

FAVOURITE MEDIUMS TO USE
I’m a sucker for a fine liner, I have tried other mediums but the fine liner always finds its way back to me. I am currently tied to a set of Sakura Pigma Micron pens and use these alongside a trusty Promarker to bring in the colour.

MOST MEMORABLE CREATIVE MOMENT
It was probably my final project at uni. I felt so lost for three and a half years, so many opinions and so many techniques that I never thought I’d find something that worked for me. The only pieces I was proud of throughout college and uni were my three final degree illustrations and that’s why they are memorable, something clicked and at that time, it felt like I had been found.

BEST PIECE OF CREATIVE INDUSTRY ADVICE
Stick at it, draw all the time, it’s what you love. Do not take criticism personally, everything is a learning curve, you are always developing. There are no rules in creativity.

WORST PIECE OF CREATIVE INDUSTRY ADVICE
“Make sure you have something to fall back on.” This is an instant fail alarm to budding Illustrators and does not hold much advice at all. By all means a second income will help support your main goal in life, but don’t put all your passion, effort and time into something that you might have to fall back on. Believe in yourself and be creative, things will happen.

FAVOURITE ILLUSTRATORS
There is a creative duo called ‘Expanded Eye’ that I’m really into at the moment. They express themselves through not only illustration but sculpture and street art as well as tattooing. I am determined to get their beautiful illustrations on my skin! They’re incredible at what they do.

FAVOURITE PIECE OF WORK TO DATE
My favourite piece to date would be ‘Royal Mane’, an illustration that I created as an opportunity arose for it to be printed on a LP cover. It had to resemble the song that it would present inside the sleeve and would be sold in order to raise money for charity. Music is a big influence in my illustrations therefore the brief was something I was very enthusiastic about, I find that enthusiasm usually helps the outcome!

FANTASY BRIEF
I would love to create a giant mural as part of a festival, maybe some smaller bits and bobs as well, such as lanyards and programme covers. Getting creatively involved on the festival circuit would be full of fantasy briefs, there’s nowhere else I would rather be over the summer period!

WHERE YOU THINK YOU’LL BE IN 20 YEARS TIME
20 years, wow. I’m sure I will still be drawing! I’d like to think that I will have travelled many parts of the world and hold a visual diary of all the wonderful things I have seen and people I have met. To have been successful in what I love, to have inspired people and to be raising a family would be considered as 20 years well spent.

WHAT YOU THINK YOU MIGHT DO FOR THE VALENTINE ART SHOW?I think I’m going to approach it from a different angle, create something adverse rather than the initial thoughts when I hear “Valentines”. I’m thinking of going along the lines of a myth, a tale that I would like to illustrate and something I think would fit in well with the audience at Brighton Tattoo Convention. I’m not giving too much away though, so I guess we’ll wait and see!

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