Diary of an illustrator
My first and foremost skill is with a pencil, a brush, a pen. My crude beginnings were me being encouraged by my 'gran' to persevere with my drawings. As a teenager I discovered the joy of painting large scale murals in my home town before setting off on my travels to spend time as an artist in London, Amsterdam and Paris. I was fascinated by British street culture and fashion, and heavily influenced by the likes of photographer Ray Petri and fashion vanguards Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McClaren.
I arrived an immigrant in the US and realised a dream of working in the fashion industry in New York City as a fashion illustrator. As a freelancer I sketched for the Womens' Wear Daily, The Fashion Desk Diary and numerous fashion houses along Manhattan’s 7th Avenue. My then A list roster included Henry Dunay, Oleg Cassini, Valentino, Ungaro, Agnes B, Sonia Rykiel, Krizia, Nicole Miller, Betsey Johnson, Benetton, Byron Lars, Donna Karen, to name a few
After designing various backdrops for runway shows I was invited to design a set for a film stage and after several indie features, shorts and commercials by default I became an independent film industry art director and production designer. I traveled extensively for the next few years and subsequently settled in Barcelona taking a position as an art director for magazine Metro BCN whilst illustrating for the Inditex group (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Mango). I remained in Spain for several years until the 911 terrorist attacks in New York City whereupon I returned to the US and formed my boutique interior design firm The Front Design Group
Art Basel, with concurrent Design Miami, and the Wynwood Arts gallery scene drew my attention to Miami to revisit painting and illustrating. My style is 'fitti-pop', whimsical and fun. it does not seek to compete or contrive others it merely serves as a mélange of my individual experiences, travels and romances
I arrived an immigrant in the US and realised a dream of working in the fashion industry in New York City as a fashion illustrator. As a freelancer I sketched for the Womens' Wear Daily, The Fashion Desk Diary and numerous fashion houses along Manhattan’s 7th Avenue. My then A list roster included Henry Dunay, Oleg Cassini, Valentino, Ungaro, Agnes B, Sonia Rykiel, Krizia, Nicole Miller, Betsey Johnson, Benetton, Byron Lars, Donna Karen, to name a few
After designing various backdrops for runway shows I was invited to design a set for a film stage and after several indie features, shorts and commercials by default I became an independent film industry art director and production designer. I traveled extensively for the next few years and subsequently settled in Barcelona taking a position as an art director for magazine Metro BCN whilst illustrating for the Inditex group (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Mango). I remained in Spain for several years until the 911 terrorist attacks in New York City whereupon I returned to the US and formed my boutique interior design firm The Front Design Group
Art Basel, with concurrent Design Miami, and the Wynwood Arts gallery scene drew my attention to Miami to revisit painting and illustrating. My style is 'fitti-pop', whimsical and fun. it does not seek to compete or contrive others it merely serves as a mélange of my individual experiences, travels and romances
Paintings season 2010-2011
"Sartorial Thugs; Well Dressed Criminals"
Monochrome series of ten infamous British criminals. Acrylic on canvas 16' x 12". Exhibited and sold (Bill & Ben) at Gallery Area 23 Wynwood Miami
"Sisters Cycle"
A series of 5 paintings about womens' inner pain, torment, and dealing with feelings of objectification. Acrylic on canvas 2 x 40" x 40 "and a triptych 3 x 24" x 24" series sold to Miami collector Javier Aspigilla
"Souled Out"
series of ten black and white photo-realistic portraits of the ebony woman
"Sisters of the Maputo"
A triptych that takes it's title from the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights of Women in Africa, better known as the Maputo Protocol, guarantees comprehensive rights to women including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, to control of their reproductive health, and an end to female genital mutilation.
Monochrome series of ten infamous British criminals. Acrylic on canvas 16' x 12". Exhibited and sold (Bill & Ben) at Gallery Area 23 Wynwood Miami
"Sisters Cycle"
A series of 5 paintings about womens' inner pain, torment, and dealing with feelings of objectification. Acrylic on canvas 2 x 40" x 40 "and a triptych 3 x 24" x 24" series sold to Miami collector Javier Aspigilla
"Souled Out"
series of ten black and white photo-realistic portraits of the ebony woman
"Sisters of the Maputo"
A triptych that takes it's title from the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights of Women in Africa, better known as the Maputo Protocol, guarantees comprehensive rights to women including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, to control of their reproductive health, and an end to female genital mutilation.
Exhibitions and installations
London The Skyline gallery “Let us Spray”
New York The Rat Space “Word, Sound & Power”
Barcelona Le Pousse café “Moda y Diseño”
Kingston The Bob Marley Museum “Isus” permanent installation
Miami Area 23 gallery Wynwood ”Sartorial Thugs: Well Dressed Criminals”
Miami Area 23 gallery Wynwood ”The 3 Sisters”
Miami AVAF gallery ”The Deitch Project”
Miami Flamingo Towers “The Souled Out show”
Miami Contesta Rock “Outropsective"