BIO

Working predominantly in graphite and pastel, Ian’s drawings extend from the figurative through to the abstract. His drawing process often leads to revisiting landscapes, figures and spaces and this reworking of the familiar has allowed Ian’s drawing practice to develop with each new approach, shedding fresh light on his subject matter.

Ian won the Finest Drawing Prize in the UK’s National Open Art Prize in 2013 for his piece ‘Chrysalis’. 

After seeing his work the UK art materials company Derwent asked Ian to be a tester for XL Graphite Blocks during their development stage. Ian’s work was then used for advertising and promotion of the product.

In 2018 the American retail company Macys purchased a collection of Ian’s work to hang in the refurbished menswear department of the San Francisco store. A further collection was purchased and then a licence paid to reprint the work for rolling out in stores across the U.S.A

In 2023 Ian was contacted by fashion photographer Nick Knight to be the London Fashion Week illustrator and he produced a body of work in response to the models and collections. The illustrations are now held with Nick Knight's Show Studio in London.

An art graduate with a first class honours degree from the Bradford College of Art, Ian made his home in Brighton where he lived and worked from 2000 until 2020, when he returned to his northern roots in Yorkshire. Now ensconced in a purpose built studio (The Hodgehutch) at the bottom of his garden, he can be found continuing to explore and expand on his drawing practice.

Statement

My work engages with identity and place. Emotional architecture. Psychological landscapes. Memory. Visibility. Revelation of the hidden. Liminal space. A moment suspended. An alteration of states.