Only and Ever This

Two colour linocut illustration for Dzanc Books, independent non-profit publisher in America, created for the cover of their book ‘Only And Ever This’ by J. A. Tyler. For this cover I have tried to capture a child’s longing for a mysterious father away at sea by combining a child’s paper boat and the pirate ship in mirror image in the waves.

In this novel a family must endure father loss, a mother’s grief, and roiling adolescence, slipping as it does into arcades, caves, and the young love for a ghostly girl up the street.

A mother clings to twin sons, desperate to keep them from becoming their father, a pirate forever sailing away. In this rain-soaked township, she will attempt to mummify them, piece by piece, to stop them from growing up, a hope founded in magic and immortality. Meanwhile, their father obsesses the seas with his own belief in ever-lasting life, learning too late that his heart belongs on shore..

Luchterhand

Die Arbeit der Vögel by Marica Borožić

My four colour linocut cover of Marica Borožić’s book ‘Die Arbeit der Vögel’ published by Penguin Random House imprint Lucherhand.

Fleeing from the Germans in September 1940, Walter Benjamin traveled along an old smuggler's path from the French border town of Banyuls-sur-Mer to Portbou in northern Spain. The next day he ends his life. Eight decades later, Marica Bodrožić takes the last journey of the great German writer and philosopher as an opportunity to reflect on our time, the complexity of life courses and identity, friendship and escape. For them, the walk over the Pyrenees becomes a lucid path of thought in which nature speaks as a synesthetic structure. The outer mountain world merges with the inner living landscape. Marica Bodrožić artfully weaves into her stream of thoughts the fates of other intellectuals who were exposed to the violence of the 20th century - such as the resistance fighter Lisa Fittko or the poet Ossip Mandelstam. The result is a timeless journey through the inner landscapes of the soul, which connects the pain-laced memory with the luminous core of poetry. “A large project of thought entirely in the spirit of Benjamin.” (Paul Reitter).

Quarto

‘Gone: A search for what remains of the world’s extinct creatures’ an illustrated book written by Michael Blencowe.

Inspired by his childhood obsession with extinct species, Blencowe takes us around the globe - from the forests of New Zealand to the ferries of Finland, from the urban sprawl of San Francisco to an inflatable crocodile on Brighton's Widewater Lagoon. Spanning five centuries, from the last sighting of New Zealand's Upland Moa to the 2012 death of the Pinta Island Giant Tortoise, Lonesome George, his memoir is peppered with the accounts of the hunters and naturalists of the past as well as revealing conversations with the custodians of these totemic animals today.

For this illustrated book I have made 12 main black and white linocut illustrations with 2 small chapter motifs, some of which were then digitally coloured in house. I particularly enjoyed the investigative element of this project as I had to piece together many of the reference imagery from the description and the animals genetic relatives. It also gave me a chance to use my drawings as well as my prints.

Elliot & Thompson

Book cover design for ‘Under the Stars: A journey into light’ by Matt Gaw. An exploration of the power of light and what we’re missing when we set artificial light everywhere around us. My illustration is inspired by Gaw’s descriptions of walking by the light of the moon in Suffolk, wondering under the buckshot of starlight in Scotland and into the darkest depths of Dartmoor.

The River, The Town

Linocut illustration for Dzanc Books, independent non-profit publisher in America, created for the cover of their book ‘The River, The Town’ by Farah Ali. A poignant and powerful literary debut following the breakup of a Pakistani family in the face of climate disaster, and their indefatigable search for stability, love, and belonging.

For this cover I tried to capture a desolate landscape in which our main characters travel to find their fortunes in the far distant town.

Feral Borough

Three colour linocut illustrated book cover for ‘Feral Borough’. Written by Meryl Pugh for independent publisher Penned in the margins.

Set in the urban pastoral of an East London postcode, Feral Borough asks what it means to call a place home, and how best to share that home with its non-human inhabitants.

In this captivating book – part herbarium, part bestiary and part memoir – Pugh explores the effects of loss, and lockdown, on human well-being, conjuring the local urban environment as a site for healing and connection.

In this image a Muntjac Deer as it is one of the animals described in the book, foliage and trees surrounding litter and discarded NOS balloon canisters with the London city skyline in the background.

Saga Collection one

Set 1 of my 48 commissioned art works to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’ a Saga cruise liner, each deck is has artworks from one british artist.

This project was titled ‘in time of roses (and other flowers)’ after a line in the poem ‘in time of daffodiles(who know..’ by E. E. Cummings. Having grown up near the New forest I have always had a love of forests and finding unusual flowers and plant formations. In this series, I explore classic botanical drawing and look for a dramatic new twist in my compositions and colouring. The subject I have chosen to study as the centre of this work is the well known, common British flowers and the life that they sustain. These are a classic symbol of the English seasons and the variation in nature as a whole. I have taken plants that people viewing the artwork might know and see on a daily basis, I have tried to take this well known subject matter and put them in a different light. The character of each plant show an individual quality unique and fascinating once they’re stripped of their cliched formalities and surroundings.

Each artwork is hand carved in lino and hand printed in relief, colour is then added as a separate layer, and the artwork is then printed as a large fine art Giclée print on Hahnemühle acid free paper.

In this set, Tulip & Canna Lilly, Dogtooth on the downs, Swallow & snail, Anemone with fern, Beetle in bushes & Thistle flower

Saga Collection Two

Set 2 of my 48 commissioned artworks to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’. A closeup exploration of some of people’s favourite flowers Chrysanthemums, Sunflower, Anemone, Jasmin, Blackberry bush & Clover.

Saga Collection Three

Set 3 of my 48 commissioned artworks to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’. British flora and fauna, in this set I wanted the images in a slightly more symmetrical pose but with the same dynamic impact of the previous.

In this set: Summer Pansy, Peonies, Lillies and Iris, Iris on the water, Blue Cornflower, Foam flower with Flying hedgehog (Juncusensifolius)

Saga Collection Four

Set 4 of my 48 commissioned art works to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’.

Saga Collection five

Set 5 of my 48 commissioned art works to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’.

Saga Collection six

Set 6 of my 48 commissioned art works to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’.

Saga Collection Seven

Set 7 of my 48 commissioned art works to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’.

Saga Collection Eight

Set 8 of my 48 commissioned art works to decorate a deck of ‘Spirit of Discovery’.

Pendle Hill

Specially commissioned for a client’s birthday from her family. This is a multilayered linocut of Pendle Hill in Lancashire. For more on this project and a bit about the process behind it, check out my blog!

Delayed Gratification

Illustrating articles for Delayed Gratification, including stories on illegal guns trade in Panama, the murder Bruce Alan Liitleton and the lengths he went to to fake his own death, dancing made illegal in certain areas of Japan and public radio helping democracy in Oman.

Ernest Journal

Spot illustrations for Ernest Journal’s series on pieces of classic clothing and their history.

Sherlock Holmes

Personal project illustrating one of my favourite books, Sherlock Holmes. I have Illustrated a front cover and end page as well as one image for each story A Scandal in Bohemia, The Man with the twisted lip and The Musgrave Ritual.

Structo

Two commissions made for Structo Magazine, one a fully illustrated issue with an interview with Margret Atwood, an article on the life of Jean Rhys and illustrated cover and end pages. The other is a one page illustration of short story ‘The incidental’ by Keir John Pratt, expressing the loss of a father and the inheritance of a book collection.

Joan Margarit

Illustration of Joan Margarit for Structo Magazine issue 20, appropriately labeled the issue for the inbetween times of 2020. A beautiful collection of stories, poetry, interviews and essays. A black & white image of this illustration accompanies an interview with the poet, architect & retired professor.

New Philosopher

Commission for New Philosopher Magazine accompanying an article on Victor Hugo.

Peregrine

Two linocuts made for Ernest Journal, illustrating J. A. Baker's excerpt article from 'the peregrine' in 'Through the eyes of a falcon.' Issue 5.

Quint

Based on Two poems by Dorian ‘Paul D’ Rogers for Quint Magazine in Dubai.

Make me cry
Say something saffron and crushed velvet that will crush me.
It's been so long since I leaked from the cracked clay of cheekbone.
I've become hardened and coarse,
barren barely recognizable.
Nothing moves me anymore.
Sing me a novella through ghostlike windpipe. Vibrato me to weeping.
Tell me a poem that will make the demons inside me snap
their fingers and leave me in shame and repentance.
May the Lord forgive them and solder angels' wings to their spiked spines.
Give me an image that makes me remember why I'm here tonight.
Wake me out of this fool's gold doldrums where cubic zirconium stars
dangle from thin strings and tumble on to dull drums.
When that first tear falls,
don't be tempted to wipe it.
Let it trickle down and
do a rain dance like the indigenous
so that more will be summoned
Some will drip from my chin.
Others will run down my neck
under my shirt
down my chest
leg
toes
and form a puddle in the web between them.
Let the dust there
become fertile mud
where a seed can be planted
and a new life can begin.
But first you have to bring me back
to humanity, un-Frankenstein me
and make me cry.

The Phenomenology of Roundness
Life is most definitely round.
I stopped chasing my future when I found it in my back
pocket after taking my clothes out of the wash the other day.
It was hidden in the lint and blue jean matter.
I no longer get teary-eyed when my past pants
in my ears like a loose hyena.
I reminisce my grandfather's laughs in the present
tense although his tombstone where he lies lies
and says he is long gone.
Time is cyclical, and Westerners are dying earlier
from the depressing effects of believing it is linear.
Certain African tribes call it zamani, the "now-ness of time".
I call it the roundness of time
because that just sounds cooler.
I will name my first daughter Zamani although my wife
will call it "ghetto" and swear that I will be cursing her
to a life of unemployment. I will tell her to get "o-ver" it
and laugh at my own inside joke.
Our universe is but one sud in a soda can.
Nipples aren't erogenous zones but baby bulls' eyes.
When someone calls you zero or rates you as such,
take solace in the fact that they compared you to something round.
Nothing squarish is cool except some board games.
Octagons mean to halt. Triangles force you to be cautious.
Rectangles sound like accidents and getting caught in snares.
Circles claim the sun, earth, cells, and wombs as their shape-bearers.
Eggs are this shape and so are buttons that fasten and unhinge.
Want to have an equitable meeting?
Set chairs in a circle.
Get around to it.
Want to tell someone you understand? Tell them, "Oh".
Look in the mirror and say it to see what shape your lips make.
Form your mouth in a round fashion to give the ultimate satisfaction to your man.
Men get slapped by their spouses for getting distracted from roundness.
Ditch the stop lights and take the round-a-bout.
Look around you and all you will see is round.

Lost in london

Illustrating an article arguing in favour of reintroduction of the Goshawk and other birds of prey back into London.

Wildlife Trusts

A small linocut illustration for the Wildlife Trusts UK magazines summer -autumn issue, accompanying a piece on walking in nature and using it as a time to spot Britain's wonderful wildlife.