I have had the opportunity to work with many great recording artists including Peter Gabriel, Blur, Scratch Perverts, and Joi, illustrators such as Jon Burgerman, China Mike and Parra, and visual artists such as Vhils, Swoon and Space Invader.
Having been appointed as the first in-house designer for Real World, the visionary group of creative companies owned by Peter Gabriel, it became clear that working with artists both visual and recording was the way I wanted to take my career. During my seven years with Real World I designed over 50 music CDs as well as working on books, merchandise, award-winning animations and video projects.
After leaving Real World I continued to work freelance for them, as well as other clients including the BBC and WOMAD. I then formed a design agency with two colleagues, Tijuana Design, working with organisations including EMI Music, Modern Art Oxford, and the Arnolfini Gallery. Projects under my management included the iconic “Think Tank” album cover for Blur, featuring the work of the artist Banksy.
During this time I researched, wrote and designed my first three books for Thames and Hudson, identifying innovative artistic talent from around the world (“Stencil Graffiti” 2002, “Street Logos” 2004, and “Graffiti Brasil” 2005). It was through these projects that exciting opportunities arose to work directly with many of the artists in an art direction role, and I left Tijuana to develop this area while also working freelance for clients such as Habitat.
As an art director I work closely with artists to develop their ideas, taking these through to the production and publication of collectable fine art editions. Clients include Pictures On Walls, with whom I also curate exhibitions such as the Cans Festival in London, 2007. Other projects include a collaboration with Choque Cultural.
My fourth book “Street Sketchbook”, published by Thames and Hudson in 2007, won an industry award for production. My fifth is due for publication in Autumn 2010.
To keep up-to-date with recent and current art direction projects see the blog.
Clients past and present include:
EMI Music
Habitat
Swatch
Pictures On Walls
BBC
Soil Association
Womad
Cheltenham Festivals
Modern Art Oxford
Blue Q
Arnolfini Gallery
Encounters Festivals
MCI Music
Creative Partnerships
University of Bristol
Watershed Media Centre
Artpoint
Bath Festivals Trust