I was born in Douglas in the Isle of Man. My parents were in the tourism industry and we owned and ran a hotel. From a young age i had aptitude for art, and when i left school in 1994, i attended the Isle of Man College to take my A levels and GNVQ's in 3rd design, Fine art and photography.
Although i was expected to take over the family business i recieved excellent grades from college and realised i had the ability to go to University, which is exactly what i did.In 1996 i went to University to study Ceramics and Glass. I quickly realised that my path lay within the field of glass. I swapped subjects in 1997 and carried on with my degree but in glass, philosophy and printmaking.
In 1999, i attended a summer school in Seattle called Pilchuck , which changed the course of my life! My instructor was Emilio Santini and when the three and a half week course was over, he offered me an apprenticeship. I finished University in 2000 with an Honours Degree in Glass and Philosophy and in 2001 i travelled to the states to work for Emilio for six monthes. Upon coming home i set up my studio and continued to make work for shows and galleries.
In 2004 i completed a year long residency at the Courtyard Gallery in the Isle of Man which culminated in a solo show which sold well.
Since then i have moved into a studio in an artist's collective in the South of the island, which is partially funded by the Isle of Man arts council. As well as making glass fulltime, i also teach non-accredited courses in flameworking and sandcasting, i have been doing this since 2001 and i get to teach all over the world for at least four monthes of the year.
Artists Statement
My work is somewhat self indulgent, i use my life and experience as the canvas upon which i work. With my pieces i speak a personal truth which is what i think art should be about, although i only want the viewer to relate to the work with themselves in mind, not me in mind. The work i make is deeply rooted in symbolic historical mythology and personal mythology. Occasionally i like to depict a famous painting or poem , but always with my own personal twist.
Why do i make art? Because i have to!
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