A Brief History

I’ve been drawing for as long as I could hold a pencil—usually elaborate contraptions and eccentric machines, heavily inspired by the Wacky Races cartoons I devoured as a child. Once I was old enough to use my father’s workshop, my doodles began to take shape in the real world. I built rat catchers, bubble machines, and even shed-top turbines—sometimes functional, sometimes purely for fun.

First Creative Accolade

At eight years old, I entered a national art competition sponsored by Kraft cheeses. My “Rube Goldberg-style” drawing of a cheese factory won my age category and earned me a trip to meet children’s TV art hero Tony Hart at the BBC’s Bristol studios.

Art College and First Job

After A Levels, I studied at the (now sadly defunct) Great Yarmouth College of Art & Design, completing a foundation year before specialising in Graphic Design. My first professional role was as a Junior Designer at Marks & Spencer’s headquarters on Baker Street, London.

Creative Folly

Shortly after starting my professional design career in London, I returned to hands-on invention, creating a batch of low-fi, gadgety bubble machines inspired by my childhood designs—and selling them at Covent Garden.

Creative Pivot

After working as a graphic designer for several years, I soon discovered my true passion wasn’t just design—it was ideas. I switched tracks to become an art director, joining leading advertising agencies across the FCB, WPP, Omnicom, and Publicis networks in Cape Town and London. Along the way, I picked up over 30 creative accolades, including wins at the Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, The One Show, and the Webby Awards, with my greatest successes on digital channels, where I could weave interaction into every solution.

Blog to Books

In 2010, I channeled my inner workshop tinkerer into What I Made, a blog sharing hand-drawn instructions for fun, often slightly absurd, craft projects. It struck a chord—within a year, I’d won two Webby Awards and landed a book deal with a New York publisher. My first book, Made by Dad, was a craft book full of ingenious, quirky projects in my signature style, it sold 120k copies. My fourth book was released in 2023, proving that a love for making things can go a very long way.

Brick on the Egg

In May 2023, I launched Brick on the Egg—a place where my inventive spirit and creative problem-solving meet to help businesses and agencies grow. Whether it’s a brand, a campaign, or an idea that doesn’t even exist yet, I’m ready to build something remarkable.