Born in Cumbria, I moved to Edinburgh to study on the Foundation Course at Leith School of Art. After completing this I spent five years pursuing Fine Art at Edinburgh University and Edinburgh College of Art graduating with an MA in 2008. I now work as a tutor at Leith School of Art whilst continuing to produce my own work for national exhibitions from my studio at Coburg House in Leith, Edinburgh.

In the last year I have started drawing birds and animals directly from life. The immediacy of this method of working means you have to work quickly and be prepared to make a lot of sketches to get the information you need. The first few drawings of any particular bird are always clumsy and then you start getting a feel for its particular shape and movement. Back in the studio I work up my drawings into prints, drawings and paintings. I like to make work that contains a narrative; this is helped by bringing out a sense of character and purpose in the animals and birds that I draw. From snatched glimpses and rapid sketches, I take what information I have and develop these into compositions made up of layers of colour for my screen prints.