Born 1949 in Sheffield to Irish Parents Training:  Pre Diploma Rother ham College of Art 1967-69Diploma in Art and Design 1970-73 Birmingham Post Graduate Diploma in Fine Art Painting Birmingham197074.

 Residences: Belfast College of Art 1977Trowbridge  Town Hall Art Studios 2017Bath Art Studio 2018 Employment Teaching and Lecturing Member of Winsley Portrait group Member of Trowbridge Artist’s Cafe44AD Associate ArtistExhibitions2020 -2021:Salisbury Creative Open Pound Art Open Corsham Bath Society of Artists  Annual Exhibition Trowbridge Art Open44AD Bath Open Art Prize44AD Associate Artist’ Exhibition Connections’ at the Vanner Gallery SalisburyMarried to Artist Sue Hallissey

​

During my Fine Art painting Degree Course at Birmingham Art College in the early 70s, the American Abstract Expressionists were my heroes with their bold cowboy approach to painting. Roy Able, one of my art lecturers, said, "You can't paint like a cowboy if you live in Birmingham."

This pithy remark stayed with me for years later, leading me to paint the cowboys instead. Creating a world based on the Western fictional genre popular on television and in comics in the 1950s to 60s, in which Mexicans were always portrayed as ‘baddies’, following visits to Mexico, I changed the narratives by painting Mexicans in the starring roles. Inspiration for the paintings comes from anywhere: films, the internet, photos, or even from other artists’ work.

The paintings are made in a quick, spontaneous, and instinctive way. My aim is always for the finished work to be fresh, direct, and playful.