About sixteen years ago my creative path took a new direction, when I began touring schools in Australia and New Zealand as a cartoonist with children’s author and presenter Rob Daniel. Together we created a motivational, creative workshop to inspire primary and high school students, their parents and teachers.

 

I quickly discovered that as much as I had to teach, I would learn equally as much, both about myself and my art. The students frequently became teachers and I became their student.

 

 We were continuously inspired and in wonder throughout each show, at the quality of creative ideas that filled each venue we presented in.  Extraordinary stories, characters, settings, places… the ideas students came up with were endless.

 

The experience took me back to when I was a young dreamer and scribbler, trying to copy anything from Beano, Dandy, Ladybird and comic books, to Tom and Jerry and Walt Disney characters.

My creative journey began in the 1960s through picture books, and even to this day, a good picture book never ceases to astound and inspire me.