I’m a graphic designer and illustrator based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. I’ve been working in design for over 20 years, but my interest in drawing and art goes back a lot further.

I grew up in Eden, a small coastal town surrounded by bush on the south coast of NSW. I was always drawing, and my family encouraged that interest. My grandmother would take us to Canberra and Melbourne to visit the big art galleries and touring exhibitions. I remember seeing the Impressionists when I was about ten. Those trips to the bright lights of the big city were always exciting for a kid growing up in the bush.

Melbourne visits usually involved a day at the cricket with my grandfather too, where I picked up a few choice words from the crowd in Bay 13. I suspect Grandpa enjoyed sitting nearby for the entertainment as much as the cricket.

Illustration came first for me. I was also interested in architecture and technical drawing, and graphic design seemed like a good way to combine those interests. Winning a skateboard in a TV drawing competition when I was about fourteen probably helped convince me I was heading in the right direction!

I started my career in multimedia before moving into commercial printing, where I learnt the practical side of design, from dealing with clients and deadlines to understanding how artwork becomes a finished product. Agency work followed, giving me more experience with concepts and creative development.

I began freelancing in 2006, initially while looking for another job. It grew into long-term relationships with businesses and creative agencies, including more than nine years working with The Creative Collective and projects directly for Sunshine Coast Council. That mix of work has taken me across branding, websites, advertising, publications, packaging, signage and illustration. I still enjoy the variety, whether it’s developing an idea from scratch, solving a tricky design problem or getting the finer details right. Seeing someone genuinely happy with the result is always satisfying.

When I’m not working, I’m a dad, a skateboarder at heart and someone who still enjoys surfing, snowboarding, gaming and cartoons. These days I’m more likely to be out in the bush or at the beach with the family and dog than attempting anything too ambitious on a skateboard. I’ve always loved travelling too, whether it’s somewhere new or an old favourite.

I still love drawing, even if finding time to sit down and do it purely for enjoyment has become harder. And there’s always something new to learn, whether that’s a design tool, a different process or, more recently, how to cut opals.