Out of the water and into the sky!

Where I'm going and Where I came from

Though I have been an illustrator for well over 20 years it is only since the year 2000 that I reached the level where I was creatively capable of illustrating for children's publications. Similarily, I have been writing for many years but only achieved the required clarity and brevity to reach out to children in the past couple of years.

2004:

• Scholastic India Sonu & the Metal Elephant with co-author Sylvia Sikundar (scheduled for publication August 2004) illustrated by Stephen Aitken.
• Tulika Books Himalayas: Count to Ten and Back Again - writer/illustrator (scheduled for publication, December 2004).
• Once Upon a Time magazine, illustrations for Summer Issue.

2003:

• Scribum Ltd. Illustrations for The Hobhyas
• June Frances Lincoln Ltd. The Flag, poem and illustration for Lines in the Sand
• June Once Upon a Time magazine, "Painting poems".
• July Hullabaloo Magazine Cover illustration and Interview article.
• August Mightybook Inc. Illustrations for Messenger for the King
• August Biodiversity Journal Endangered Medicinal Plants of the Himalayas -co-authored
• October ChickaDEE Magazine The Hobaloos, a poem.

2002: 

• ChickaDEE Magazine of Toronto Canada, a special India feature, provided photo-illustrations and conducted an interview with a 10 year old Indian girl.
• August issue of Wee Ones Magazine: Illustrations for Pancreas Island.
• September:Appointed Managing Editor of Biodiversity; Journal of Life on Earth published by Tropical Conservancy a charitable scientific organization based in Ottawa..
• October: Playbooks Inc. CA, USA. Illustrations for "Master Maid", a Norse tale.
• December issue of Wee Ones Magazine: Featured Illustrator and provided Illustrations for Not Safe for Angels.

2001: 

• Illustrations for Trees In Canada a revision by the Canadian Forest Service.
• Illustrations for Odin's Journey, The Norse Wisdom Cards, a series of 85 illustrations on Norse Mythology for a set of divination cards and an accompanying book published by Futhark Forlag of Oslo Norway. One of these mixed media paintings, "Asgardr", has been awarded a place in the permanent collection of International Art from Picture Books at the Mazza Museum in Findlay, OH.

The rest, as they say, is history!

Starting from the Ground Up

Born in 1953 in Ottawa, Canada receiving private art instruction from an early age. Honours Biology Degree from the University of Ottawa, Physiology and Fine Arts training from Queen's University in Kingston.

• 1976-78:  School of Architecture, Carleton University in Ottawa.
  
  
• 1978:  Biosystematics Research Centre (BRC) at the Dept. of Agriculture, Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa now known as (ECORC). Technical Illustrator for " Genera of the Aphidoidea of Canada" as well as for the " Manual of Nearctic Diptera".
  
  
• 1980:  Vascular Plant Division of BRC illustrated "Western Cattle Rangeland Grasses" by Dr. Susan Aiken (no relation).
  
  
• 1981:  Canadian Museum of Nature (formerly Can. Museum of Natural Sciences) designed exhibits and illustrated displays for the new Botany Hall in the Victoria Building. Also produced a number of travelling Exhibits including the widely respected "Climatic Changes" exhibit.
  
  
• 1980-81:  Illustrated for "Science Dimension" magazine produced by the National Research Council of Canada.
  
  
• 1981-84:  Produced a large series  of "Kullu Valley Miniatures" (over 75 paintings) while living and studying in the Himalayas of India.
  
  
• 1984-88:  Worked as a free-lance Illustrator on contract  with a number of graphics firms in Ottawa illustrating everything from colouring books to medical journals.
  
  
• 1987:  Solo Exhibit of Watercolours at the MacDonald Club on Gilmour St. in Ottawa.
  
  
• 1988:  Solo Exhibit of Watercolours and Mixed Media at P.J.'s Gallery, Hinton Ave North, in Ottawa. Sold Out!
  
  
• 1988-92:  Entomological Illustrator for Forestry Canada ( now Natural Resources Canada) Science and Sustainable Development Directorate at the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids. Worked closely with the Curator of the Collection, Dr. P. T. Dang, a world-renowned micro-Lepidopterist.
  
  
• 1992-95:  Sole botanical illustrator, producing over 3,000 illustrations for Trees In Canada edited by John Laird Farrar and published by the Canadian Forest Service/Fitzhenry & Whiteside.  It has sold over 30,000 copies making it a Canadian Best-Seller and it was awarded a "Best of Show" by the International Society for Technical Publications in Seattle.
  
  
• 1995-99:  Produced over 200 watercolours and mixed media works exhibiting at the Manotick ShowCase Gallery in Manotick and The Rothwell Gallery on Montreal Rd. in Ottawa. Maintained a studio in the foothills of the Himalayas of India, producing a number of book covers and illustrations. Also illustrating CD Covers and other projects in mixed media, watercolors, gouache and Adobe PhotoShop 6.0 and Illustrator 9.
  
  
• 1999:  Illustrated for Discovery Channel Publishing on their Explore Your World Handbook Series through St. Remy Multimedia of Montreal. Publications were "Trees" and "Reptiles & Amphibians".
  
  
• 1999:  International Coordinator for Tropical Conservancy a Canadian-based NGO, publisher of Biodiversity; Journal of Life on Earth.
  
  
• 2000:  News Editor for Biodiversity; Journal of Life on Earth a quarterly scientific journal with a subscription base in over 180 countries.
• 2002: Managing Editor of Biodiversity; Journal of Life on Earth
  

My brother Ken and I, two cowboys balancing eggs on a spoon in 1958. We later learned to walk on eggs.

Yup, that's the Parliament buildings in the background. Born in Ottawa and by the looks of it not too happy about it eh? That's me on the far right (without the hat). Done Mom proud on that one!

Some of the nicest people I have ever known.

Ready for the world.