I've been journalling on this website once per week for almost 4 years. It began as a personal project and a practice I could consistently return to to understand my progress as an artist. I never thought it would end up being one of the most important parts of my artistic practice but now I cannot miss a week. I've learned more from writing and reflecting than I have from drawing.
This journal needs more space – the space it deserves. I found myself trying to find articles I knew I had written, especially when asked about common problems younger artists encounter in their art practice. The new space not only gives each post room to breathe, but it makes entries more findable and filterable. bookmarkable and, hopefully, more illustratable.
After 5 or so years of painting with watercolour, I’ve spent A LOT of money on paint. Some have been a brilliant investment, while others sit in the draw. There are some tubes that have only a few millilitres used and I’m unlikely to go to them any time soon. The problem is, I love […]
Read nowPeople ask me, ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ And, like most writers, I have the standard answer, “From life.” But I know it’s not a good answer. It’s vague, unhelpful, and to be honest, a bit of a cop-out. A better answer would be, “It’s complicated” or “I actually don’t know”. But that’s also […]
Read nowI’ve always been a fan of live music. I spent much of my early twenties going to pub bands and watching people ‘rock out’ on stage. But I very rarely think, “Hey, I should go see some classical music.” And that’s not because I don’t like it. I listen to quite a lot of in […]
Read nowI’ve been working hard to understand language since I started writing for children. And while I ‘studied English’ in school, the focus was teaching you to communicate, not on how language can make you feel. Lines for Birds, Barry Hill and John Wolseley I was browsing a bookshop in Alice Springs on a recent trip […]
Read nowI spend a lot of time studying fine art watercolour artists who are doing some of the most incredible work you’re ever likely to see. When I was just starting out, my wife bought me a ‘Masterclass’ with this lady I have never heard of. I had no idea who she was or what she […]
Read nowCompetition has a lot of benefit. History is littered with examples of how rivalry pushed humans to achieve more in a shorter time. This is great if faster and ‘more’ are your goals. But not everyone needs to be faster, or make more. I scroll through my algorithmically-driven Instagram feed maybe once every few days. […]
Read nowEric wears his shiny new sticker I‘m delighted to announce that my first picture book, and my first collaboration with Jackie French have both been given a shiny notable sticker by the industry’s premier body, the CBCA. While the last you thing any one should ever illustrate for, it’s recognition, it’s still a lovely feeling […]
Read nowA whole generation of kids are going to have access my first ever picture book and I can’t tell you how great and humbling that feels.
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