BIOGRAPHY

I started my academic training in 1987, in Birmingham at the Bournville College of Art, where I attended the 1-year foundation course, covering many fields. On completion of this course, I then went on to study Theatre Design at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, under Royal Shakespeare Company designer Christopher Morley. During this period, I was actively working in the field as a designer and as a scenic artist, painting many shows and events. My first professional outing was designing a new work at Birmingham Repertory Theatre: To My Country A Child by emerging writer / director Joe White. At the end of this three year period, I moved to London, to do a post-graduate qualification in Theatre Design under Peter Snow, at the Slade School of Fine Art. Whilst still at the Slade, I also began directing numerous theatrical works, experimental films, and videos for MTV; and gradually developing the stylistic handwriting that remains in my work today. During this period I was asked back to Birmingham to be the visiting lecturer in the department of Theatre Design and I held this position until 2000.
In addition to his work in this particular field, my graphic artwork and images have been in high demand for many commercial releases, particularly as key-art for videos; CD covers, posters and advertising campaigns. Working in a combination of traditional and digital media; my multi-layered landscapes of lines, photomontage and text have proved to be very popular within both the corporate and music industries, where I have provided imagery for numerous clients on an international level.

Courses attended
1987 ND in General Art and Design - Bournville College of Art, Birmingham
1988 - 91 BA (hons.) First Class in Theatre Design - Birmingham Institute of Art and Design.
1991-93 MA in Fine Art - The Slade School of Fine Art, London.
1996 ND in Advanced Music Technology - Thames Valley University.

Awards
1991 The Sir Barry Jackson Award for Theatre Design.
The George Jackson Travel Scholarship.
The Emma Jesse Phipps Bequest.
1992 The Linbury Prize for Theatre Design
(leading to an exhibition of work at the Royal National Theatre, London.)
The Louise-Anne Ryland Scholarship for Fine Art.
1998 Best Work in New Media for ”Virtual House of Usher” Institute of Contemporary Art. London

PERFORMANCE DESIGN

With a training in the discipline of Theatre Design it was only natural for me to enter the profession in this capacity: and I have worked consistently within this broad field, since 1991 providing scenography and settings for theatre, opera and live music, both in the UK and in Europe.
In 1993 I began to direct productions, starting with my acclaimed production of Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of “The Fall of the House of Usher” in London - a work that I have revived twice, toured Europe and Australia with, and then re-shaped into a piece of ground-breaking multimedia art during my role as Artist in Residence at Institute of Contemporary Art, London.

Theatre Design 1994-2000 Sets and costumes for the following productions:

To My Country a Child - director, Joe White - Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Hamlet - director, James Wood - Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Solitaire - director, Joe White - Theatre Royal, Hanley.
Romeo and Juliet - director - Richard Franklin - Theatre Royal, Hanley.
Joan of Kent - director - Henry Lewis - Notre Dame Hall, London.
When the Phone Rings - director - Henry Lewis - UK tour.
The Devils - director - James Dearlove - Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
An Evening with Gary Lineker - director - Marcus Goodwin - Theatre Royal, Hanley.
The Woodlanders - director - Alison Brown - Oxford Playhouse.
Richard 2nd - director - Ray Rosenburg - Birmingham Old Repertory Theatre.
Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi - director - Liz Ladd - Bloomsbury Theatre Workshop, London.
First Night Nerves - director - Simon Parkin - ADC Theatre, Cambridge.
Scroggins’ Night Out - director - Tim Clyde - Barons Court Theatre London.
Happy Families - director - Margaret Whitehouse - Hall Green Little Theatre, Birmingham.
Dry Rot - director - Jon Greenwood - Apex Theatre, Birmingham.
The Point - director - James Bates & UCL Dance Society - Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Mr Thomas - director - James Knight - Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Come On the Good Thing - director - Sandy Cartwrite - The Grace, Latchmere, London.
The Bacchae - director - Emma Lewis - The Garage Theatre, London.

Concerts and Trade Shows Backdrops and concert staging for:
My Dying Bride - European tour 1996
Venom - European dates 1998/2000/2001
Emperor - European Tour 1998
Dark Funeral - European & USA dates 1999/2000
Impaled Nazarene - European tour 1995
Cradle of Filth - European tour 1996, 1997
Enslaved - European tour 1998
Top Drawer - trade show, Earls Court, London.
Decorex - trade show, (winner of best stand) Syon House, London.

Absu - "The Sun of Tiphareth" Tour - Europe 1996

Scenic Art for the following productions:
The Terrible Voice of Satan - Royal Court Upstairs, London.
Coppelia - Royal Scottish Ballet - London, Tokyo, Australia.
A Christmas Carol - Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Seville Expo 92 - Seville Spain.
National Music Day - Birmingham
Simply Red - " Stars" tour / Wembley Arena, London.

Director since 1994 productions include ( and also working as Designer):
The Fall of The House of Usher: ICA, London UK, Europe, Australia.

Equas - Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Richard 3rd - Kings Head, London.
Endgame - Oxford Palyhouse,UK.
The Tell-Tale Heart, Bloomsbury Theatre, London and UK tour.
Agamemnon - ADC Theatre Cambridge and UK tour.
A is for Actor - Bloomsbury Theatre London.
Always Always - Bloomsbury Theatre London and UK tour

VIDEO AND MOVING IMAGE

My work with the moving image has been extensive. I initially began experimenting with the possibilities offered by the film medium whilst attending my degree course-in fact I was making short films as far back as 1991 in collaboration with the director Paul Hancock. However it was not until 1995, whilst providing graphic artwork for UK band, Benediction, that I was asked if I could provide a promotional video for MTV. Since then, my career as a Video -clip director has spread into Europe and the USA. I have since produced more film shorts outside of the music industry; and a comprehensive list of the works are given below:

VIDEO/FILMOGRAPHY 1995 - present

“Down on Whores” - promo for Benediction c/o Nuclear Blast Records, Germany .
“The Cry of Mankind” - promo for My Dying Bride c/o Music for Nations Records, UK.

“Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms” & “At the Gates of Blashyrkh” - for Immortal c/o Osmose Productions, France.

“Blood Vampirism and Sadism” video album consisting of 9 separate video clips (“Propaganda”, “Blood Lunar Cult”, “Circle of Blood”, “Illsa” “Circle of Sadism”, “Circle of Darkness”
“Ash to Ashes - Flesh to Dust” & “Necromanteon”) for Diabolos Rising, c/o Osmose Productions, France.
“When All Gold Turns…” & Karmageddon Warrior” - promo for Impaled Nazarene c/o Osmose Productions, France.
“Dusk and Her Embrace” Cradle of Filth c/o Music For Nations Records UK.
“The Silent Enigma” - promo for Anathema c/o Music For Nations Records UK.
“American Psychos” - Promo for the Misfits c/o Geffen Records, USA (uncompleted)
“The Curse and Loss of Reverence” - promo for Emperor c/o Candlelight Records UK
“Where the Raven Flies” - promo for Mysticum c/o Necropolis Records USA.
“Flight of the Hydra” - promo for Venom c/o CBH Records Germany.
“Dancing with Magic” - promo for Dominus c/o Die Hard Records Denmark.
“Dunkelheit” - short film with music in collaboration with Varg Viekenes, c/o Misanthropy Records UK.
“Narrow Street” - short film for Ely Productions UK.
“City Farm” - short film for Ely Productions UK.
“The Fall of the House of Usher” - filmed version of the London stage play, Ely Productions UK.
“The Bacchae” - short film adaptation of the Euripides play, Leviathan Productions UK.
“ Bluebrick” - experimental short, Ely Productions UK
“The Collector”- experimental short, Ely Productions UK
“Daarling You were marvellous” - short -script by Steven Berkoff, Ely Productions UK

GRAPHIC WORK
In addition to work in the performance medium, I have crossed genres into both graphic and multimedia work. As an artist, I have provided images for corporate companies, as well as many in the entertainment industry. I have provided layouts, key art, web sites, brochures and promotional material for several corporate clients including Panasonic, Ausplow Australia and the Western Australian Government. Additionally I have taught graphic design and design theory in several institutions in the UK and overseas

Graphics - CD / Video covers
“Vempire” Cradle of Filth, c/o Music For Nations Records UK. (booklet portraiture and manipulation)

“Craven” Daeonia, c/o Candlelight Records UK
“Alice” Daeonia, c/o Candlelight Records UK.

Battles in the North" - Immortal (special edition) Osmose Productions, France
“Crescendo” Daeonia, c/o Candlelight Records UK.

“Resurrection” Venom, c/o CBH Records, Germany.

“The Dreams You Dread” Benediction, c/o Nuclear Blast Records Germany.
“Warmth Beneath Winter” Brother Orchid c/o Nightbreed Records UK
“Latex Cult” Impaled Nazarene, c/o Osmose Productions France.

“Dancing under Glass” Entwined, c/o Earache Records UK

“Data Plague” Primary Slave, c/o Visible Noise Records UK
“Blood Vampirism and Sadism” Diabolos Rising video cover, c/o Osmose Productions
France.
“Dunkeltheit” Burzum video cover, c/o Misanthropy Records UK.
“Karmageddon Warriors” Impaled Nazarene video cover, c/o Osmose Productions
France.
“Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” Emperor, c/o Candlelight Records UK. (photography manipulation.)
"Above Instinct" Above Instinct CDROM cover/booklet, Garden Studios UK
"Anal Destruction" A Means 2 an End CD cover, Garden Studios UK

Poster and advertising campaigns:

The Fall of The House of Usher: UK, Europe, Australia.
Equas - Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
The Point- Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Richard 3rd: Kings Head, London.
The Tell-Tale Heart, Bloomsbury Theatre, London and UK tour.
Agamemnon - ADC Theatre Cambridge and UK tour.
“Craven” supporting advert for CD release for Daeonia, c/o Candlelight Records UK
“Alice” supporting advert for CD release for Daeonia, c/o Candlelight Records UK.
“Crescendo” supporting advert for CD release for Daeonia, c/o Candlelight Records UK.
“Resurrection” supporting advert for CD release for Venom, c/o CBH Records, Germany.
“The Dreams You Dread” supporting advert for CD release for Benediction, c/o Nuclear Blast Records Germany.
“Warmth Beneath Winter” supporting advert for CD release for Brother Orchid c/o Nightbreed Records UK
“Latex Cult” supporting advert for CD release for Impaled Nazarene, c/o Osmose Productions France.
“Dancing under Glass” supporting advert for CD release for Entwined, c/o Earache Records UK
“Data Plague” supporting advert for CD release for Primary Slave, c/o Visible Noise Records UK

Concert Merchandising
Designs and artworks for the following T-shirts / Long-sleeves releases:
Venom, c/o CBH Records, Germany. “The Tablet of Seth”, “Liar”, “The Evil One”, shirts 1998
Venom, c/o CBH Records, Germany. “Resurrection” “Forgive us not our Sins” shirts for tour of Europe and USA 2000-2001.Primary Slave c/o Visible Noise Records, UK. “PS disc” and Data Plague” shirts 1999.
UCL Dance Society “ The Point” - limited edition promotional shirt for dance production 1993

Corporate Artwork

Panasonic - DX 33 Digital Cameras “ The Digital Revolution” UK and European promotion in association with K-Class and BFP, London.

Ausplow WA - Corporate identity for premier Western Australian farm machinery developers.
Earth Studios UK - Corporate identity for premier music and recording facility.
Akenside Developments - “The Brewery Bond” brochure design and graphics for UK property development.
K-Class Systems UK - Graphics and corporate branding for leading UK based Internet Service Provider.
FPS - “First Person Shooter” - Internet games league graphics and identity.
Garfoil UK - Corporate identity and brochures for UK aluminium manufacturers.
UK Dance-clubs Ltd. - Corporate identity for UK club network of 8 separate clubs, also producing multimedia applications for individual web presence.

Multi-Media

Digital Paintings - Incident and accident” - Institute of Contemporary Art, London.
Video Installation - “Rising” - Gallery of the Future, Loughborough, UK.
Video Installation - “Counting Sheep” - The Courtyard, London.
Video Installation - “Charnel Knowledge” - Hadleigh cemetery, Suffolk, UK.

CD ROM - "Reverence" - all graphics and active content, also features “The Curse and Loss of Reverence” - promo for Emperor c/o Candlelight Records, UK
Digital Installation: “Triptych in memory to the blood of those murdered” - Quairading WA
Digital Installation: “100 corpses of thought” - Quairading

Web Presences

amongst others:

www.aboveinstinct.co.uk
www.gardenstudios.net
www.martynboothguitars.co.uk

Summary of teaching / tutoring experience

Most recently, the visiting lecturer at Edith Cowan University- WAAPA . Perth, Australia. Lecturing in the Production Department and covering the following areas" Design for Multimedia" " Costume/ Set Design In a Virtual Environment" and additional lectures in "Photoshop 6"

Visiting lecturer at UCE Birmingham - Departments of Fine Art (Theatre Design) & History of Art since 1991 (Teaching discipline at undergraduate and post-graduate level. - years 1,2 and 3) Areas include: Theatre Design Department: “design and theory”, the “psychology of the theatrical space”, “lighting design”, “model - making and technical drawing / realisation”, “story boarding”, “personal development & core skills”, “design for film and TV”. Visiting Lecturer for the School until 2000. History of Art Department: lectures on “design direction for MTV”, “film theory” Theatre in Education - guest speaker at 1996 -99 conferences, lectures in “Design and Media”, “The Perception of Space” “the Role of the Artist in the Theatre”, “the Designer/Director”

Visiting Lecturer at Bournville College of Art, Birmingham - Department of New Media. 1999-2000
Lectures on 3D Animation and modeling.

Visiting Lecturer at Newcastle University - Department of Performing Arts - lectures on performance design and video making - 2000

Visiting lecturer at London Film Workshop 1996 - 1998 (specialising in film production, script-to-screen, and Music-Video making)

Examiner at the Slade School of Fine Art, London 1993

Lecturer at the SBTD “Make Space” exhibition, Manchester 19941-995 - Lectures on “theatre design” and “the psychology of performance space”

Visiting Lecturer at Newhall Green School, Manchester 1994 - Lectures on “theatre design”