What inspired you to pick up a brush/pencil and start painting/drawing?

I always enjoyed art classes at school, partly because we could listen to the radio and chat whilst working :) I went to university to study graphic design thinking I would work in layout design or something similar, but ended up incorporating hand-drawn and painted elements into all of my work, and shifting bit by bit towards art.

When did your love of art start? Did you always want to be an artist?

To be honest I never imagined myself as an artist. Partly because I had a limited understanding of what art could be and partly because my skills and confidence did not include fine and detailed works at small scale, which was how being 'artistic' was presented at school. I love thinking conceptually and have always been drawn to large scale works and typography, so eventually these interests all married up to form my current practice.

What would be your advice for new artists just starting up?

Follow what you love and are interested in. Be curious about what is out there and explore as much as you can but don't feel you have to mould your practice to fit with categories that already exist.

What is the best tip you were told early in your career?

If you want to talk a big idea, don't try to present the entire idea. Focus on a detail and tell us everything about that.

How has social media helped your career?

Instagram has been integral in allowing me to show my work to people all around the work, and often operates as my portable portfolio.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Conversations, big views, being outside, looking inside my own head, art, books, nature.

What is your favourite Daler-Rowney product and why?

System3 Fluids as they coverage is so good. Especially if I am painting a bumpy brick wall, the paint flows so easily and also covers fully.

What is a technique that you haven't tried yet that you would love to try & why?

I'd like to work with dyeing textiles and creating more textile banners.