Modern visual arts are often criticised for lacking in substance, technical skill and aesthetics, partly because work which focuses on concept rarely betrays the time or thought taken in creation. In the interest of transparency and to provide a background to the projects, these pages demonstrate often overlooked, yet essential stages in any creative practice; planning, thinking, trialling and reflecting.
Leigh Lights

A relocation at the end of 2015 from Manchester to Leigh-on-Sea , on the Thames Estuary in Essex, literally provided fertile new ground for a practice that has been often concerned with environment and place. Encountering this new landscape at the darker end of the year  resulted in light, or the absence of it, either natural or otherwise, playing a major part in both photographic and other trials and experiments. These predominately watercolour pieces were experimental pieces which were produced with a mind to possibly developing further larger-scale representations to deliberately abstract the play of light on the horizon.
Everything is Changing

Development from the Peaceful Places and Serenity Series has been under way in sketchbook form throughout summer 2015. Whilst previous work was content to embody purely visual references to Buddhism, using inspiration from Buddhist teachings around impermanence, the new sketches bring in references to concepts beyond the surface of this ancient Eastern philosophy. Focusing on moments snatched from daily, or less daily experiences, they give subtle recognition to the fact that our existence and the world around us is constantly in flux and entirely transient. In addition to the visual, explorations also began finding written form and two new poems were added to the page of verse.
Following an exhibition titled Peaceful Places at Manchester Buddhist Centre's  Earth Café, positive feedback from visitors inspired work on a series of canvases further exploring the mood of the collection. This sketchbook was hand made and then filled with research drawings from the galleries at The Manchester Museum. Further investigative sketches and the resulting paintings, currently under the working title of The Serenity Series, can be viewed on the development page.
Mapping Project Ideas

This is a collaborative project that is now on an indefinite back-burner since my colleague move to Japan! James Pashley, who also studied the MA in 3D Design at MMU, has a background in landscape architecture and used the MA programme to begin looking at play in urban environments. His work culminated in a series of suggestions for interventions in public spaces, which would allow a child’s natural instinct for play to brighten and rejuvenate urban spaces whilst making travelling on foot a more enjoyable and stimulating experience for children and adults alike.
His work referenced that of Mitsuri Senda who discussed ‘circulatory play systems’ and summarised these in a series of points or features. Our project looked at applying these to Manchester City Centre, identifying existing environmental features which could be used in such a play system and aims to design a route for use by visitors to Manchester. This is our first ‘mind map’ using photos gathered during a reconnaissance trip!  
This Place Is Trials

These pages are from a 'live' trial conducted while developing two interactive projects looking at place. Members of CRITgroup took rough 'mock-ups' of brochures titled This Place Is at the end of the February 2012 meeting and returned them in April filled with their thoughts and images relating to individually selected places.
These were used to finalise two versions; one for individuals to complete at their leisure and one for groups to complete in a workshop scenario, though these were then amalgamated into the booklet now used in the This Place Is project.
This Place Is The Dream - St Helen's:
This Place Is Chessington:
This Place Is Bramhall:
This Place Is Broad Lee House:
Other Projects

The pages below are selected from older sketchbooks and demonstrate development of a range of projects as well as some ideas that never left the page. Examples include development of This Belongs To, the Hulme Workshops, Talk To Me and Fancy a Pint?, as well as plans for the exhibition of I Remember workshops with the Hulme History Society.
These pages describe earlier stages in the development of recent work, which began by looking directly to the urban environment for inspiration. An initial visual starting point was the contrast between interventions which exist either inside or outside institutional control. For example, No Parking signs and graffiti. Though these are equally common sights in city spaces, they pull in opposite directions, the former for a controlled and ordered environment, the latter for freedom of expression.
From these observations,  many aesthetic qualities of earlier installations were derived and they were central to the development toward an interest in public ownership.