lo cole

I studied at Maidstone College of Art and Design, and Central School of Art and Design.

Apart from being greatly affected by possibly the greatest painter ever, Picasso, I think I can site my Mother¹s artwork, especially her drawing, as a key influence on my own work. She was an accomplished artist and illustrator in her own right and worked alongside my father, who wrote and produced TV shows for young children throughout the 70¹s and 80¹s, notably Bod and Fingermouse. Before her death in 1985, I would assist her with her weekly comics for Pippin children¹s magazine. The publisher, although tolerant of my sub-standard attempts to replicate my mother¹s draughtsmanship, eventually had to point out that I should seek other employment. So, with this firm rejection under my belt, I found myself working as an illustrator, well aware of the high standards that my mother (and Mr Picasso) had set as a benchmark, but not really expecting the amount of varied and challenging commissions that were to follow.

My work regularly features in national newspapers and magazines and other clients include The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Bank of Scotland, Gartmore, Greenpeace and the WWF.