Following a brief spell at art college my career as an artist began when I learned to paint floral designs onto china as part of the Royal Albert design team, Royal Doulton China, Staffordshire.

In the late 1980s I moved to Scotland where I worked as a freelance artist and illustrator. By the late 90's I had started to paint botancal subjects and a few years later decided to improve my knowledge of plants by studying for a BSc Hons in Biology at the University of Aberdeen. In March 2011 I completed a Diploma in Botanical Art with the Society of Botanical Artists, for which I was awarded a Distinction. In Feb 2011 I was elected as an Associate member of the Society of Botanical Artists.

When time permits I exhibit at RHS shows and have twice been awarded medals for my work. In 2006, my first Silver medal was awarded at the Birmingham "Gardeners' World" exhibition, for work produced during my scholarship working at the, Cruickshank Botanic Garden, University of Aberdeen. In 2008 I was awarded a second RHS Silver Medal, this time for a collection of watercolours based on my degree dissertation study of reproductive mechanisms in flowers and inspired by the work of Arthur Harry Church.

In 2007 I was invited to exhibit at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, as part of their the 12th International Exhibition. My work is now in their public collection, for my contribution, curator, James White, kindly gifted me a piece of vellum from the estate of acclaimed Scottish botanical artist, Rory McEwen.

In 2010 I was awarded a Certificate in Botanical Merit and highly commended for the Joyce Cumming Award by the Society of Botanical Artists at their Silver Jubilee Exhibition at Westminster Central Hall, London, for my Scots Thistle Head drawing. The same work was highly commended for the Joyce Cumming Award. To read more about the SBA show visit the Making a Mark blog.

I hope to exhibit with the SBA in spring and BISCOT (Botanical Images Scotia) in June 2012. I am currently working on a collection of leaf studies on vellum. For more information please refer to my blog or the News page.

Details from Scots thisle Onopordum acanthium seedhead in graphite, watercolour on paper , 2010.