About

On the 28^th August, 2021 I turn 60. I move into the last third of my life. 2020 will be remembered as the year of the Covid 19 pandemic. Like so many others in the UK, I spent the vast majority of that year as a furloughed worker and also in self isolation because of my underlying chronic condition of Bronchiectasis. Vaccination against the virus is the light at the end of the tunnel which will allow people to return to some semblance of normality.

However, it is crucially important we recognise that it was our global “normal” that has created the situation we now find ourselves in and we learn from this experience and make radical changes to the way we think and do things.

During the lock downs imposed by the UK government I spent many hours contemplating my life and where I wanted to get to in the next chapter of my life. I turned back to my art that I had put on the back burner for a good part of thirty years, during which I had dedicated myself to the sport of shodokan aikido.

My life has been a journey along a path with art on one side and sport on the other. During that journey the path has criss crossed from one into the other and it is no coincidence that my chosen sport is also a martial art form. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art with a contemporary and experimental dance component. I specialised in sculpture. I also have a Master’s degree in Japanese Studies allowing a deep knowledge of shodokan aikido.

I have no problem with competition and see it as essential for young people to test their mettle and technical ability under duress. Whilst sport is essential for our health and well being, it is artistry that lifts it to a higher plane. I truly never entered a competition with the mindset of wanting to win it. I entered all competitions wanting to express myself through my aikido. This translated into British and international competition wins over a period of 15 years, culminating in being the first non Japanese to win the World Championship in 1995.

Since 1995 I have trained as a personal fitness trainer, managed a public gym and run a permanent aikido dojo, producing 60 black belts. So where now?

Because of the pandemic I have been unable to teach and train aikido for over a year now. My life, along with so many others, has been put on pause. My lung condition continues to decline as the years roll by and my energy levels have dropped considerably. Painful though it is, I recognise that my art will now overtake my sport in the latter part of my life.

Several of the works on this site were done during lock down and I hope they convey the frustration, fear, isolation and reflection the pandemic brought. I have published a book on shodokan aikido and have made an art film, which is a social documentary on the loss of tradition, longevity and mastery in contemporary society.