PORTFOLIO
My arts practice is firmly rooted in community and celebratory arts events. I also have extensive knowledge and experience of scenic arts for film, theatre, TV, including making puppets and lanterns.
THEATRE
My theatre work for the Dukes Theatre, Lancaster include The Hobbit, which won the UK Theatre Award for Best Show for Children and Young People, Jason and the Argonauts, Merlin, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Arabian Nights, Pinocchio, Robin Hood, Canterbury Tales, Don Quixote, Hansel and Gretel, Peter Pan, David Copperfield, The BFG, Charlotte’s Web, One Fine Day, Be My Baby, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Home Fires, Accrington Pals, Treasure Island and True West.
PUPPETS
My career in puppetry started at the age of 17 when, with two friends, we formed the ‘Anglo-Hellenic Puppet Company’ and toured around the Greek Islands, performing ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ in French, Greek and English. I then created a mobile ‘walkabout’ puppet booth, in the style of Far-Eastern medieval puppeteers and walked around Northern France with a pram full of puppets performing ‘Beauty and the Junk Food Beast’.
LANTERNS
I have recently introduced the art of lantern making to Crete, where I now live, and am the designer and maker of the lanterns used in all the opening ceremonies for Giortes Rokkas in the mountain villages of Kera and Rokka from 2017 through to 2019.
As one of the core artists of the Lantern Company UK, we created the six Viking lantern ships for the Opening Ceremony of the European Capital of Culture 2017 in Aarhus, Denmark.The parade of lantern ships streamed through the city of Aarhus to a waterside finale.
FILM & TV
I have had the opportunity to work on TV productions for the BBC, ITV and Channel Five. These include 'All Creatures Great and Small' released in 2020, as well as many other TV series such as Deep Water, Home from Home, Tina and Bobbie, Our Girl, Peaky Blinders, In The Dark, Still Game, Safe House, Houdini and Doyle, and Cold Feet.
Films include 'Free Reign' for Netflix, 'Bill'' (Horrible Histories) 'Walk like a Panther' for Fox International and 'Bulletproof' for Sky.
PAINTING
Many materials and surfaces invite many different treatments and finishes… wood, metal, plastics, ply, MDF, fabric, canvas, gauzes, textured finishes in varying sizes and scale. Faux finishes include marble, woodgrain, brick, stone, and various types of aging down such as distressed paint and rust, some of which may be seen here. Backcloths, murals, sets, floors and 3D creations come into many of my remits
POLY AND STONE CARVING
Rochdale Council (UK) commissioned sculptures to be used in various youth group art projects. They included flocks of giant sparrows and life-size sheep and sculptures inspired by the famous Cowparade.
The Giant Harlequin and Commedia del Arte masks were commissioned by Tatton Park for themed events. The giant gargoyles were for a theatre production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" for The Dukes Lancaster and many props and puppets for various productions.
Recently, I have explored stone carving here in Crete, and am working on various commissions and personal projects.
OTHER WORK
This is a small selection of other works, both personal and commercial. Some watercolours are included of local scenes. The murals were for a Greek restaurant in Lancaster, UK.
I am currently developing a work in progress which explores Greek Orthodox imagery and its connection to the role of female communities and the environment.
