These Illustrations all come from a Children's book I wrote and Illustrated, called "The Bear and The Boy". I was grieving the loss of my Granda, Noel, who had been diagnosed with dementia 6 years before he passed away. Our family and our Granda were inseparable, we spent every day after school at his house, where we'd watch old westerns, take Rory, his red setter, out for walks and have sooo many delicious sweets, cakes, buns and juice! 

I suppose in a way this book was subconsciously based on that, the grief I felt, that made me nearly want to give up art forever, it felt like I wasn't going to draw or smile or feel happy ever again. But the more I kept writing, and drawing, the more I fell in love with it again, and the more at peace I felt with the passing of a beloved and most cherish friend, my Granda Noel

I loved bears, and felt that they showed the two sides to a loving and amazing dad, the cuddly and softer side, and the protective, big and scary side. The bear just reminded me of how others had seen my own da, and my Granda, maybe intimidating at first, but deep down they're both big softies