I grew up in a quiet valley surrounded by woodland and fields near Penmachno in north Wales.
When I wasn't riding my bike I was usually drawing and making things. My first big project was a treehouse that began when I was nine. It blew down in the storm in 1988, but I rebuilt it bigger and stronger, with a bedroom and roof terrace! I did Design and Technology at school and made a laminated rocking chair for my final project. When I left school I did an Art foundation course in Bangor then, after some travelling and working as a builder, I went to Devon to do an Illustration degree. |
After a couple of years playing in a band and building mountain bike trails, I started working for a friend who was making bespoke kitchens. I really enjoyed the work and soon realized that working with wood was what I wanted to do with my life.
I started getting furniture commissions from friends and found the drawing and design skills helped me to make interesting and original pieces. I was inspired by a couple of older cabinet makers in the area who gave me an understanding of the standard of work that could be achieved with sharp tools and patient careful work. |
When I was twenty seven I set off on my bike on a year long journey to Australia. This picture was taken by someone I rode with for a couple of weeks down the west of Tibet. There are a surprising amount of cyclists in even the most remote places and I quite often ended up riding with other people and making good friends along the way.
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