Back home my parents couldn’t afford to evict the lodger so I slept in the coal shed with the whippet…and my sister…and my other sister.

To make the rainy days pass I used to draw matchstick men and matchstick cats and dogs on the walls with a piece of coal. Thus began my interest in art.

Years later whilst working in the factory my talents were noticed by the top-hatted mill owner who offered to send me away to art school and not forclose on my parents house in return for %33 of any future earnings. He called it a student loan or something?

It was whilst studying for a degree in Manchester, that I was called away to an even bigger, dryer city…London, to accept first prize in a drawing competition called the MacMillan Childrens Book Prize, where against all odds I had beaten other illustrators from all over the country.

I didn’t meet the Queen but I did meet Posy Simmonds!

Years later with over twenty published books under my belt as well as loads of greetings cards, murals, portraits, community arts, photography, pottery, voluntary work, time travelling and playing guitar and football (sometimes at the same time!), I have my own coal shed and I am raising a child in it.

I still live in the rain…er I mean the north and my dad still hasn’t been evicted… yet!

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