DIamond Jubilee carnival sketches

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge Parade - section drawings

Next Parade is approaching quickly. This time it's to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge. It promises to be a fantastic night with a fabulous finale courtesy of Emergency Exit Arts, London who are organising the whole thing. I'm working as one of 5 artists to create the costumes and some of the structures. These are my initial serving suggestions for my groups - workshops start very soon!



these drummers have more than a touch of 'Elvis - the Vegas years' going on...

robot costumes - SIRF carnival, Stockton

one of my groups in this years SIRF carnival parade - footsteps nursery became flowery wallpaper robots...

Carnival time again! illustrations for SIRF carnival 2011

I've been working on my designs for Stockton Carnival. This years theme is 'Dare to Dream' so each artist has a section based on an aspect of dreaming. My section is called 'Dreamscape' and we'll be looking at the more surreal and bizarre aspects of our dreams. I've thought about the way we take the everyday and make it strange or ridiculous. I've come up with some funny, fantastical mixed up creatures , aliens made of household paraphanalia, an army of robots patterned with flowers and flock wallpaper as well as some peculiar clown fish and a giraffe made of sweets. There will also be some drummers performing as living surreal artworks

Carnival designs

Its carnival time again! These are my designs for SIRF 2010, Stockton Carnival parade - my section is based around relaxation and leisure - hence the pets + gardening type themes.

Stockton Carnival Parade 2009 - carnival artist

I've been really busy for the last few weeks working as a carnival artist on this years Stockton Carnival Parade,apparently its the second biggest in the country. Each of the five artists commissioned was responsible for a section of the parade based around the theme, "Small wonders, Big world". My section was "play" so I had a great time helping my groups with their costumes and structures. Above are a set of toy soldiers from Teeside Positive Action with a very glamorous drag queen 'Crystal Decanter' in a Rainbow Frock stitched by Anthony (just peeking around Crystals shoulder above).



Stockton Parent Support became dancing Snakes and ladders, using a giant Snake and some Ladder backpacks in their routine. They did a fabulous job in the finale.



St Johns Primary School made toy cars and trains, slightly collapsed in the rain which poured for a few hours before and during the parade.




Play Wrensfield made Chess head-dresses and tabards. They also had two King and Queen backpack costumes. The Queen didnt have enough 'hair' fringing so I ended up improvising with some giant rollers.


Play Hardwick were Pacmen and Space Invaders and made some big space invader standards to carry.





Downs Syndrome North East managed to negotiate a giant bear, a huge doll, a smaller bear backback and a large helter skelter covered in sliding teddy bears through a rainy town centre. All while wearing plasterzote bear helmets and blowing bubble guns.




Navrang Arts are a Bollywood dance group that became a flock of Bollywood Birds for the afternoon.