I am an artist and MEXT PhD scholar at Keio University, Tokyo.

Academic Interests:

Education theory, fan studies and visual narratives.
I use comics and illustration as a way to explore new creative learning methods, examine issues within the wider comics field and make my research accessible to a wider audience.
A key academic concern of my work is questioning the power structures that impact how creativity manifests within social spaces, and the social negotiation that occurs around how these works are interpreted and shared. Of particular interest to me at present is how narrative cultural artefacts such as manga are viewed and engaged with on the global stage - with a view to gaining a deeper, practical understanding of how culturally established perspectives on manga and social learning methods support individuals and industries.

Academic Background:

2014 - Graduated BA Hons Illustration from Cardiff School of Art and Design.
2015 - Became Assistant Lecturer at Cardiff School of Art and Design.
2015 - Won Royal College of Art Travel Grant to Kyoto City University of the Arts.
2016 - Graduated from Royal College of Art
2016 - Developed the BA course in Comics and Graphic Novels at Teesside University.
2017 - Gained Research Grant from Daiwa Foundation.
2019 - Developed the MA Illustration course for Teesside University.
2019 - Gained Research Grant from the Sasakawa Foundation.
2020 - Graduated from Teesside University with Pedagogic Certificate for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
2021 - Became Course Leader for Comics and Graphic Novels BA at Teesside University.
2022 - Became External Examiner for MA Illustration at Edinburgh College of Art.
2023 - Won MEXT Scholarship (Japan Government Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).

Current Projects:

MEXT Scholarship Graduate Research Student - 2023 onwards.
Keio Media Design, Keio University, Tokyo.

​ Lead researcher and co-editor on MANGANATION, a Daiwa Foundation funded documentary about Japanese fanculture.

​ Creating the graphic novel, Not A Copycat, about the hybrid economy of manga and fanwork in Japan, supported by the Japanese Ministry for Cultural Affairs (Bunkacho).

Exhibitions and Fairs:

2010 - Casa De la Cultura, Javea, Spain
2013 - Art in the Warehouse - Milgi's - Cardiff, UK
2013 - EveryBody, M.A.D.E Gallery - Cardiff, UK
2014 - Dim Mor Syml - Brick Lane Gallery - London, UK
2015 - A Pen Can Build Faster Than A Hammer - Hockney Gallery, RCA - London, UK
2015 - TATE Offprint - London, UK
2015 - @KCUA Gallery - Kyoto, Japan
2016 - Graphic Shakespeare Exhibition - Keizai University and Tsukuba University - Tokyo, Japan - 2016
2017 - International Women's Day - Teeside University Curve building - Middlesbrough, UK
2020 - Tokyo Media Arts Festival ENCOUNTERS - Tokyu Plaza - Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
2020 - Women in Comics - BALTIC39 - Newcastle upon Tyne, UK - (Delayed by Covid19)

Panels, Papers and Conferences:

2016 - In Memory of Charlie Hebdo The ILLinformed illustration Annual ILLinformed, Royal College of Art - London, UK
2017 - Panel: Anthology publishing - Canny Comic-Con Newcastle Central Library - Newcastle, UK
2017 - Verbal Remedy: Panel Discussion on the film Elle Tyneside Cinema - Newcastle, UK
2017 - Presentation of Unoriginal Sin paper Graphic Justice Conference - July - London, UK
2018 - Comics in Education : CILIP Conference Newcastle Central Library - Newcastle, UK
2018 - A Day of 'Hare' Studies in Comics 9.2, Intellect Ltd, 2018 - UK
2019 - Visual Journalling for Auto-therapeutic Practice The 10th Illustration Research Symposium, Illustrating Mental Health - Worcester University, UK
2019 - Learning Methods of Fan Circles Comics in the University - Newcastle University, UK
2021 - Women in Comics Symposium BALTIC art centre - Gateshead, UK
2022 - Fanwork as Social Learning in Japan The International Graphic Novels and Comics Conference IGNCC 2022

About Me:

I grew up in Birmingham, Ireland and Spain, painting, drawing, and reading whatever comics I could get a hold of. I love weightlifting and CrossFit, though I'm not that good at it! I'm working hard on improving my command of the Japanese language (currently N4). よろしくお願いします！ Send me an email.