about

I make diagrams to help me understand the economic, historical, geographic and biological processes and structures that shape human society and our impact on the world, such as the global financial system, the Earth’s climatic history, the road to Brexit and the effects of technology on democracy. I also attempt to embody alternatives to the dominant cultural narrative which claims that the present economic system, although flawed, is our only realistic option. I work with fungi because I believe that direct contact with their highly resilient lifecycles and their interactions in nature can teach humans how to relate better to each other and the world we live in.

Biog
Lives in Manchester, studio in Salford. Trained as a knitwear designer, worked self-employed, couldn’t stomach it any more. Became involved in anti-consumerist and environmental activism, did voluntary work in Zapatista communities, rediscovered a love of painting after being asked to paint murals. Worked as a writer-researcher for Ethical Consumer magazine, helped set up radical art/design collective UHC.

Quit jobs, helped organise the first three UK Climate Camps. Burnt out, fried from the joys/struggles of working with people scattered all over the country to try and shift the juggernaut of political and social will. Picking up the love of painting, did a Foundation Course in the hope of learning to paint like Duccio. Surprisingly, this didn’t happen. At end of course, did Earth Activist Training course and learnt from Starhawk about mycoremediation and mycorrhizae.

Found that one year wasn’t long enough to become an artist (who knew). Did a Visual Arts degree at Salford University. Made first fungal piece, using oyster mushrooms to detoxify the global financial system.

Kept going with the fungi. Grew mushrooms on key neoliberal texts. Made a portrait of Ursula le Guin but didn’t do her justice. Have remained absorbed by the desire to understand why things are the way they are, and communicate that to others in diagrammatic form. Also wanted to look at how things could be different – and help. Have found this more difficult, drawn like so many artists to representing the problem rather than embodying the solution. Set up UK node of Radical Mycology network – currently in its hyphal knot stage. Still love fungi.