I originally trained in scientific and technical photography. I then worked in national and provincial museums photographing the nation’s treasures. In the last of these I had an additional role in designing and creating a new museum. I wanted to become more involved in creative design work and undertook a BA in Graphic Design achieving a 1st class degree. This formal training in typography, especially the hand drawing of letterforms which required absolute attention to detail, developed the high level of manual dexterity necessary for the success of this piece of Moment of Impact 9/11.

The success of my dissertation work led me to take a theory-based postgraduate course in Visual Culture at Bath Spa University College. I was about 80% of the way through this course when I decided that I didn’t want to become a non-practising academic but wanted to direct my intelligence and creative energy into making art. Having completed the postgraduate course I continued at Bath and obtained a MA in Fine Art. One of the sculptural materials I experimented with was clear casting resin and after the course I wanted to pursue work with transparent materials other than resin. This led me to enrolling on an OCN course in Glass Techniques at the International Glass Centre and then 9/11 happened.