I am an Artist, an Illustrator & a Storyteller. I write. I draw. I make books. Occasionally, I build boats. I live and work in the south-east of Cornwall in an area known as The Forgotten Corner and when I'm not telling tales, I can usually be found onboard an old fishing trawler named Albacore. I returned to Cornwall in 2012 after an 18 year hiatus to undertake an MA in Authorial Illustration at Falmouth University and I graduated with a distinction in 2014. Life here in Cornwall is intentionally simple and close to nature. I currently live in a (former!) cowshed whilst my partner and I work to convert our ancient wooden fishing trawler into a houseboat. As an artist, my intention is to communicate the stories and ideas which stem from this lifestyle. Much of the influence for my work comes from the sea, the nearby moors and forests and the ever changing weather: Sirens, sailors, rusting old boats, sea-frets, rain and wind, old forests, even older fishermen, folk tales, nature and the wildlife which surrounds me. I am drawn to old memories, dreams of home and longings for distant lands. And the sea. Always the sea. To bring these stories and dreams to life, I use photography, drawing, layers of transparent paper, tricks of light, animation, book art and set-building. I also, under the guise of Blue Ondine, make tiny, colourful paintings of these things on to wood which I turn into wearable art pendants and brooches, so I carry these symbols with me like totems wherever I travel.