Some of you, especially the gardeners among you, may remember that from April 2015 to December 2017 I illustrated Frank Ronan's column on the final page of Gardeners Illustrated Magazine. Each month the editor would email me Frank's words, I would then have about a week to read it and create a linocut illustration. I enjoyed spotting the literary references with which Frank scatters his prose and in response I would sometimes introduce art references into my illustration.



In addition to my fee for the work, I retained the copyright of the artwork and so some of the illustrations have become my most popular greetings card designs, these and the original linocut editions are available from my shop.



I wrote about my working process on my blog PurplePoddedPeas, you can read the blogposts here which include my sketches and thoughts about the linocut designs.

This is a book that I wish there was no need to be published, it's a collection of words and art inspired by Britain's most vulnerable birds. Currently there are 70 birds on the 'Red List', that's nearly double the number when the list was first drawn up in 1996.
Our birds are in trouble. We don't miss what we didn't know existed, so this book is a collection of portraits of these precious bird species in words and pictures, if you get to know and love a wild bird then you will fight for its habitats to survive or be restored and created.



I was surprised but delighted to be invited to take part in the project by allowing the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) to use my linocut 'Winter Visitors' to illustrate Bewick Swans. All the images and bird descriptions are worth mention, I'll just pick out a few as I flick through the pages. A beautiful painting of a Whinchat by Brin Edwards; Fieldfares by Charlotte Strawbridge, I love the wintery feel of this one; a delightful linocut of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker by Mackenzie Crook multi-talented actor/director/artist (creator of the Detectorists television comedy series); a Whimbrel in a perfectly caught stance by Jim Moir (who you might be more familiar as comedian Vic Reeves). And there's my linocut of Bewick Swans.



The original limited edition linocuts of "Winter Visitors" are available from my online shop. The design is also available as a greetings card … it would make a lovely alternative christmas card.

The book, Into the Red is available from the BTO online shop. Get to know these beautiful birds and care that they survive.

This year's new pack of cards 'not just for Christmas' is Winter Bird Garden, inspired by the birds that visit my garden in the winter months.

In addition to the pack of four small cards there is also a new card in eco-friendly card range.



The cards feature Long-tailed Tits, Blackbirds, a Robin, Wren and Redwing among Spindle berries, Rose hips, Holly berries and Haws.



These new designs join six other pack of 'not just for christmas' cards.

All the cards are available from my online shop

What's the gestation period for a web site makeover? This one has been a work in progress for a bout a year but there comes a point when it's best to just publish it and then add and refine later. So, here it is. If you notice any glitches or want to give helpful feedback let me know.

This News/Blog page will be used for updates about new work and events, as well as looking back at past projects.

And just to test how to post a photo … this is where I work.