Figurative painter, born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He did a foundation course at Grimsby College of Art and Design, 1996–7, then gained an honours degree in painting at Edinburgh College of Art, 1997–00, in 1999 winning an Andrew Grant Memorial Travel Scholarship. He soon began to exhibit widely, including the RSA (winning a John Kinross Scholarship to Florence), Two Counties Art Exhibition at Highcliffe Castle and NEAC at Mall Galleries (Purvis Prize for Painting and Manya Igel Fine Art travelling scholarship), all 2000; and The Hunting Art Prizes 2001, Royal College of Art (Young Artist of the Year runner-up prize), RP at Mall Galleries, NEAC at Mall Galleries (Purvis Prize and Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers Prize) and The Discerning Eye 2001 at Mall Galleries (London and Southeast Regional Prize), all 2001.