Wannabe Thriving Artist

Describe a family member.

The following family member is a wannabe thriving artist… me

So I quit my travelling cinema business after 20 years – Road Movie Mobile Cinema – to rediscover my creative roots.

My film making and cinema obsession was my initial outlet for my creativity. Making my own films, working on other peoples films, writing them and storyboarding them was what led me to creating a business where I showed other people’s stories/films to the masses. But this wasn’t fulfilling me creatively.

I decided to return to what makes me happy, the thing that I get excited about, which is visual storytelling. This time around in a completely different form, after becoming a dad, I decided to enter the world of kids books. With no idea how to get where I wanted to be I created a Vlog and podcast called Fork in the Road, which paid tribute to my previous business, and set about documenting my journey as I attempt to become a thriving artist.

I have since illustrated two kids books for YouTubers Elijah and Crumpet that are raising Down Syndrome awareness. And I’m currently working on my passion project – The Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet. A book that I hope will create a sense of wonder and fascination in the wild and diverse creatures that live on our planet.

Together with my wife Mahla we own the Evergreen cafe/art gallery in Jamestown, South Australia… and I create art as much as I can between making coffees and Reuben sandwiches. And interviewing other artists on my podcast, discussing what makes a thriving artist and how do we get there.

… I also have a beard.