I was born in the Rep of Ireland, studied animation and layout drawing at Colaiste Dhulaigh, Dublin, before studying illustration at Wolverhampton University. I now live and work as a freelance artist in Birmingham, UK. For the last 5 years I've been running my own art courses for adults, along with book illustration work, and personal commissions. In my personal work I feel compelled to capture a kind of duality. I'm drawn to the duality of us and nature, but also the duality within ourselves, which seems more prevalent than ever in our rapidly advancing modern world. There is a certain friction, ennui, or melancholy that pervades our urban existence, separating us from nature, both externally and internally. I like to use the term Magic Realism to describe how I convey that pictorial narrative. Graphite and charcoal capture a certain atmospheric quality which I'm striving for in my pieces. When colour is called upon, the viscous, malleable qualities of oil paint suit my technique best in trying to capture mood, drama, and where possible, an emotive core.