“I didn’t see that one coming!

Usually, when in the changing room of the swimming pool after a hard-won battle of underwater hockey, you don’t expect a job opportunity to arrive at your door. However, this is what happened to me in 1995; while I was still a fledgling graphic designer with five years of experience, I was asked if I would be interested in doing some freelance design work for TRACS. I said yes, let me know what you need, and to cut a long story short, it turned out to be more than ad-hoc work very quickly.

In January 1996, I became the first full-time employee of TRACS International.

My role began with producing illustrations and desktop publishing reports. It progressed to working with tutors to develop numerous new course materials, as well as involving corporate branding for TRACS and their clients. As training, design, and marketing technology advanced, I soon learned how to code, create websites, develop interactive and online learning courses, and produce social media posts.

AI has now taken all this further, where a few well-chosen phrases can help me edit a Photoshop image, rewrite a paragraph in a certain way or give ideas for the next design project. Who knows where this new technology will take me…I do know that I will be working with it to develop new and exciting imagery and designs.

To counterbalance the demands of working four days as Lead Graphic Designer for TRACS, I am also an artist and hold an MA in Fine Art (Painting) and spend most of my spare time outwith family life in the studio. I have exhibited my work in British and International joint and solo exhibitions. Most recent includes being shortlisted for the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London 2025; Scottish Portrait Awards, Edinburgh 2024 finalist; the Scottish Prize for Fine Art, Glasgow 2023 finalist; The Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize 2023 finalist; The Evelyn Williams Drawing Prize, London finalist 2023.”