Inkymole illustrations - About Inkymole illustration

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Born 30th December in the Midlands,
an early, nocturnal baby.
BA (Hons). Visual Communication (Illustration) 1st Class
Treglown Memorial Prize for Typography
Art Foundation, Leicester, Distinction
Member of the Association of Illustrators
Member of the Society of Illustrators, New York
Member of the Graphic Artists’ Guild
Member of the Type Director’s Club, New York

A creative all-rounder, I arrived at a full-time career in illustration and typography via extra time served in the bizarre and magical worlds of pirate radio, lecturing, youth work, theatre and local newspapers.
Creating words and pictures for an international client base, I've held 12 solo exhibitions across the UK and US. The second and third fingers of my right hand are permanently stained with black ink, which can only be removed (for special occasions) with bleach!

Based in a small industrious hosiery town in the Midlands, I cut my teeth making props at the Royal Shakespeare Company, using the small dark hours to catch up on mounting illustration briefs. Inspired by the penmanship of a more elegant era and with a muscular, if pedantic, grasp of the English language, I've wrapped these perma-stained fingers around words and pictures for advertising, identities, packaging,
record sleeves and a trillion book covers. If you want to know how I became 'Inkymole'...you'll have to ask me!

My touring show 'If A Girl Writes Off The World', inspired by the words of spoken word poet/rapper Sage Francis, opened at the Truman Brewery, London and toured to Chelsea, NYC and Rhode Island in 2007.

Nibs and ink are my thing. I draw on paper and ink-heavy, word-soaked imagery is my trademark. Though I creep into fashion and beauty, the worlds of advertising, fiction, packaging and music are where my work seems to fit most snugly. If 'snug' is the right word..

Work in Education

Work in Education

To paraphrase a famous quote: 'Those that can...do both'.

I've spent a lot of time with students of all ages, and began teaching on Birmingham Institute of Art and Design's HND almost by accident, barely three months out of my degree.

The School of Visual Communication at BIAD awards the Sarah Coleman Prize for Illustration each year.
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Ongoing educational work:
Birmingham Institute of Art and Design | Visiting tutor | School of Illustration BA / MA Visual Communication
Edinburgh College of Art | Visiting tutor | School of Illustration / School of Graphic Design BA Visual Communication
Specialist Lecturer: Self-promotion and the business of creativity
Birmingham Institute of Art and Design | Part-time illustration tutor | Birmingham 2000-2004
BA Visual Communication
Historical teaching:
Course Director | HND Visual Communication North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, Warwickshire
Illustration Tutor (part-time) | North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, Warwickshire
HND Visual Communication Graphic Design Tutor (part-time) | North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, Warwickshire ND Visual Communication
Graphic Design Tutor (part-time) | North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, Warwickshire ND Audio-Visual Studies
Stafford College | HND/Foundation Visual Communication
Youth Arts Worker and Responsible Leader (part-time) Lutterworth College, Leicestershire
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Seminars and demonstrations:
Association of Illustrators Images Tour Launch: Guest Speaker January 2010
Baskerville Project, 2008 | Type Festival, Birmingham UK | Association of Illustrators (UK)
Apple Store London's 'Made On A Mac' series | MacExpo | Wacom Demonstrations
plus assorted workshops and seminars at schools and colleges around the UK