T I M E L I N E - B I o
1955: Born Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK; one of four siblings; very influenced by work in grandfather’s cobblers’ workshop; childhood of building numerous projects (crossbows, skateboards) on street pavements. Left school at 16 years.
1971: Studied for engineering diploma at North Gloucestershire Technical College – designed & built a demonstrator monorail linear induction engine; Electronics inspection engineer at Smiths Industries Aviation on electro-optical head up displays for harrier jets
1974: Studied life science at Cardiff University specialising in zoology; studied behavioural asymmetry in honeybees; took PhD on Bumblebee ecology – thesis nominated for RZS JH Huxley Award by Pr. Dennis Bellamy; Studied Wading bird ecology in high arctic tundra, as geology researcher on Cardiff Arctic Norway Expedition.
1982: Career change to applied arts at Ruthin, North Wales; self-taught wood-turning, workshop construction, weaving, printing geometric designs on silk, ceramics; Developed ceramic skills through emulation of masters; exhibited at Mostyn Gallery Llandudno, Bluecoat Gallery, Mid-Wales Arts Gallery and National Museum of Wales Cardiff.
1990: Post-doctoral Scientist researching electrochemical microsensors & application to organ transplant; Co-founded MSTB Ltd – consulted with ESA to establish their Advanced Sensor Technology Project and Closed Ecological Life Support Systems for Mars missions; Flew on 5th ESA zero-G Laboratory Campaign testing ultrasonic centrifuges.
2000: Awarded 5 year Professorial Fellowship at Cardiff University; in 2002, co-founded Q-Chip Limited to develop drug-eluting implantable microcapsules; continued with ceramic practice, building new studio in Cardiff; in 2000 co-founded Protasis UK as a developer of integrated microanalyser technology; co-wrote several patents.
2006: Established metafAB Nanocentre and directed it as a node within the UK MicroNanoTechnology Network; Technical consultant to GSK, Thermofisher. Briefly attended drawing classes under Dr Jac Saorsa of the Cardiff Broadway Drawing School. Influenced by Kamoda, Josephson, Agnes Martin, Coper, Berrio, Giotto, Kiefer, Nicolson, Cahilane, Frink.
2020: New activity on sculptured heads; interested to dwell in that potent space between the archaic and the speculative, the witness and the construct, something that might evoke histories of the fragment, of portraiture, of votive form. Started working with clay and Kanthan A wire. Employed Dr Jin Li as University laboratory successor.
1995: Awarded 5 year, Clean Technology Senior Fellowship from UK Royal Academy of Engineering on Precision Farming; Raised several research grants from Royal Society, EPSRC, EU, GSK, BBSRC. Represented UK at Nanotechnology workshops in Japan and The Netherlands. Sold ceramics to private collectors in UK, Japan and USA.;
2005: Solo show of ceramics at Beveley Cathedral, UK; Professor of Microfluidics at Cardiff University; developed a research group of seven doctoral students and seven post-doctoral researchers. Visited the Nara Neiraku Museum within the Isuien Gardens and was stuck by the simplicity and beauty of very ancient tea bowls.
2014: Founded the Da-Vinci Innovation Awards for scientists and artists; Elected Fellow to IET; Developed novel microfluidics devices using fused filament 3D print fabrication. Re-directed research towards synthetic life forms and with colleagues in Italy developed highly regular compartmentalised protocols. Started mentoring University successor.
2024: Professor Emeritus at Cardiff University; Peer reviewer; Blavatnik Awards UK Panel judge; Staff mentor; Strategic horizon scanning; Focused on wheel-thrown Ceramics; Developed a range of new clay surface treatments with restrained colour pallet; Progressively honing activities to minimal foci, centred on clay.