About me

Art Journey

I was born in Bolton, raised in Huddersfield and am now settled in Manchester. After a very successful weekend at a local art show at the age of 18, I realised it was possible to make art more than a hobby, and haven't looked back since.

I studied GCSE Art at Greenhead Sixth Form College in Huddersfield. Before this my interest in Art was doodling and drawing and I found my traditional art classes to be frustrating. It was during my time at college that I was encouraged to loosen my painting and drawing style dramatically, which made me see my practice in a whole different light. This has proved to hugely impact my expressive style that I have today.

After college I then went to do a foundation course at Leeds College of Art, and a degree in Fine Art Painting and Manchester School of Art.

I've always painted what I know and what interests me, which is often the cities and landscapes of the North of England. A proud Northerner, I feel deeply connected to the cities and towns in the North and hope that my work can find beauty in the post-industrial landscapes. As my career progressed I began to paint different places and now have a wide array of work from various cities I have visited, stretching across numerous countries. I hope my work gives the viewer a real sense of the place it depicts, and goes someway to document the every changing nature of the urban environment.

In my personal life I am an avid football fan, and found myself drawn to European fan culture from a young age. The chaotic scenes of fans in continental stadia as also been the basis for some of my work, and I try and go and watch football in Europe a few times a season.

Subject

Contemporary Six Gallery, Manchester

Contemporary Six Gallery, Hale

The Rutland Gallery, Uppingham

The Headrow Gallery, Leeds

Practice

My working style straddles traditional drawing and painting with a contemporary twist. I work with acrylic, emulsion and oil paints, and draw with charcoal, pencil, chalk and oil pastels.
I've always loved drawing, and this is shown within my work. The painting part of my work is effectively drawing with a paintbrush, working very quickly and expressively. I am diagnosed with ADHD and this heavily influences how I approach my work, I like to finish a piece in no more than 2 sittings and do them as quickly as possible. If I'm not happy with a piece, I leave it and do another.

My work is collected in the UK as well as internationally.

Galleries

Notable shows

Manchester School of Art, BA Hons Fine Art Painting, '08-'12

Finalist New Lights Prize, Mercer Gallery, Harrogate, Sept '12

Solo Exhibition, Wendy Levy Art, August '15

Finalist, Haworth Prize, Mall Galleries London, '16

Marking My Travels solo exhibition, Contemporary Six Gallery, June-July '18

Manchester Open Exhibition, HOME Cinema and Centre for International Contemporary Art, Jan '20

Tyne Travels Solo Exhibition, Hexham, Northumberland. Feb '20

Manchester Open, HOME Cinema and Centre for International Contemporary Art, Jan '22

Summer Exhibition, Highgate Art '23

Opening Exhibition, Contemporary Six, Hale '24

Winter Exhibition, The Rutland Gallery '24