Occupation:
Freelance illustrator/ tutor
Time in Japan:
Three years
Where are you from?
Midlands, England.
What brought you to Japan?
I was recruited in England to teach at this English conversation school. A very normal
start; I just needed to get over here.
How did you come to do the artwork at Good Honest Grub?
Don Foley rang me up after seeing my work at the Tokyo International School where I
painted the walls. He liked it - and commissioned me to do work in his restaurant.
What is the concept for your work there?
The concept of Good Honest Grub is that it should be bright, funky, kind of ethnic and
something with lots of vegetables. I started painting the tables and chairs and made them
look like funky vegetables.
Who or what do you get your inspiration from?
Ethnic/handcrafted designs from Asia and India, especially textiles. I like traditional
techniques, batik, hand dyeing, hand stitching. And architecture around Tokyo. It' very
geometric, with repeated shapes and colors and I try to make new work out of this.
What advice do you have for artists trying to start out in Japan?
Be patient, check classifieds regularly because often there are ads for free art space at
a caf and promote your work by postcards. Advertise and have exhibitions. Also, networking
is really important. It's really who you know and being in the right place. Often one
commission at exhibitions gets the ball rolling. It takes some time to get far, I mean, it
took me three years for everything to start rolling so don't give up.
What was the strangest experience you've had in Japan?
Falling in love with my partner. We met more or less when we first arrived. He's really a
special person.
What is your favorite thing about Japan?
I like the easy lifestyle. There are lots of opportunities and it's comparatively easy to
make money, even for artists. For me, I've been lucky because I've been approached most of
the times for my artwork.
What are your future plans?
I want to set up a freelance company where I can work on all kinds of art; murals,
furniture, illustrations, etc. I'm moving to Nagasaki in August and looking forward to
starting something new there.
If you could change one thing about Japan, what would it be?
Packed trains - I hate them!!
If you could take one thing back from Japan to your native country, what would it
be?
A pair of those high school girl socks - they would bring a few laughs, especially if I
wore them.
What's your recipe for a happy and successful life in Japan?
An evening of karaoke, with a bottle of wine and good friends.
Occupation:
LIFE IN JAPAN: