I was 9 years old when I saw the Loch Ness monster…
9 years old when I discovered the realm of folklore, and I instantly fell in love with the stories that live within the land I call home.
Folklore never spun tales of faraway lands; it spoke of the dryads who live in the trees, exactly like the sycamore that stood outside my childhood bedroom window. It told me of shapeshifting seals, animals that I had encountered on more than one occasion. Folklore whispered tales of hidden doorways that, if found, could whisk me away to the land of the Fae.
Folklore was tangible; I could sense the stories that hummed beneath everyday things, and the more I paid attention to the quiet and ordinary, the more it shimmered with stories.
They say I was raised by selkies beneath the North Sea, until one stormy night when an aggravated wave flung me ashore. There, I discovered ink, folklore, and the sacred ritual of a perfectly brewed cup of Yorkshire tea and thus swiftly decided to swap my fins for feet.
That’s the myth, the truth? is far simpler but no less magical…
It is a tale as old as time, a well-worn cliché, but I shall tell it to you regardless…
I have always drawn, always chosen creativity above all else. Always found a sanctuary in putting pencil to paper.
My entire artistic career is filled with tiny moments that gently nudged or told me I was on the right path.
The moment my art lecturer put down a pile of cartridge paper and a pot of ink, pointed to a drawing in my sketchbook, and simply said, “Do more of that”.
That trip to Scotland when I was 9 years old.
A childhood spent with salt-stained skin and sand stuck between my toes, on the lookout for pirates and smugglers.
The silence of my university peers when I told them the folktale that my latest work was inspired by.
These and many more have lit the path to the artist I am today.
I am devoted to detail, to feeling the weight of a story in a place name, to hearing the lore tucked between briar and bramble. To capture it all in my signature monochromatic palette, and always with a touch of gold to complete the work and the tale.
Where others see drudgery, I see gateways. Where others see ordinary, I find magic. While others seek to escape the mundane, I sink deeper into it.
I revel in it because I can feel the stories humming beneath, the creatures our ancestors once called friend, the spirits they trusted, the beings they feared. By submerging myself within these stories and exploring nature, my work becomes self-reflective, and I am constantly creating my own folklore and folktales to explain what I encounter in this land.
My art is the only way I know how to pour these stories out into the world, to stop that kettle of folklore from bubbling over. I ink, and I draw, and I tell stories.
This is art with a pulse, crafted for those who dislike synthetic mass-produced mysticism and crave a deeper, older kind of enchantment. The kind found in nature and the quiet spaces we often overlook.
My work will never just be about escaping the mundane but illuminating it. I believe the softness of everyday life is where magic lives. I simply heighten it and help you look beyond the veil.
These inky realms are for those seeking connection, not illusion, for those who want to feel grounded, not distracted, for those who are away with the faeries.
So, take a breath. Put the kettle aside and pour from the teapot instead.
Settle in, let the world soften and stay awhile.
Which Realm will you explore next?
Looking for something a little more bespoke?
I have two signature offers in my bespoke work:
House portraits that not only capture the architectural structure but also the intangible essence of your home that only you know.
Commissions that breathe life into your daydreams.
Or if neither fits the box, then get in touch here and tell me what MAGIC I can create for you.
Add a touch of magic to your home…
Explore embellished prints that have tales to tell, that shimmer in the sunlight; they are patiently waiting to enchant the walls of your home.
