I love detail, humour and fun in illustration, inspired by my childhood favourites: Janet and Allan Ahlberg (especially Burglar Bill), Shirley Hughes (especially The Trouble with Jack) Graham Oakley, Raymond Briggs, Quentin Blake, Helen Oxenbury, John Burningham, Brian Wildsmith, David McKee, Judith Kerr, the list goes on …

I live in a village in Essex with the spouse, our beloved dog and our slightly less beloved cat. Sorry Audrey but you do insist upon sleeping on my head - and that can be quite alarming at 3am.

I’ve always liked drawing and painting but I can’t say I remember art teachers at school with particular fondness. I always felt overlooked for the star pupils. Sob, let me wipe away the hot tear trickling slowly down my cheek. Maybe one day I will be emotionally mature? In the meantime I continue to blame Mr C for putting the dampener on my artistic ambitions. It’s easier that way.

Virginia Woolf was definitely on to something with that room of one’s own thing because I now have such a room that I can clutter up with paints, pens, paper, glue etc and I never have to tidy up. Unless I want to, which is rare. Deluxe living.