I was born in Glasgow (9th Feb. 53), my mother is also from Glasgow, my father (who changed his name to Colman whilst serving with the British Army during the Second World War) was a Catalan from Barcelona.
As well as Glasgow I have lived in Cardiff, Penarth, Windermere, London, Southampton, Derby, Sunderland, Manchester, Sunderland again and currently Dagenham.
I began producing artwork in 1970, and on a more serious basis in 1972. I attended a moderately intellectually stimulating Foundation Course in Derby, gained a BA(Hons) in Fine Art (an effectively meaningless qualification) in Sunderland, and some years later, also in Sunderland, a BEd in Design & Technology - which at least represented two years of hard work.
As well as the usual holiday-time shop, factory and construction labouring jobs I’ve worked as a cataloguer/exhibitions assistant, graphic artist, manager of a support group for unemployed graduates, school teacher (‘the lost years’ (why does Dante’s Purgatory repeatedly come to mind?) only slightly redeemed by one of my design & communication groups winning a national design competition), cartographer with the Ordnance Survey, and driving instructor.
I have been a blood donor since 1971, a member of Mensa since 1981, and when not contemplating the meaning of life, the universe and everything I am most likely to be seen shouting abuse at ‘home’ referees at Sunderland away games - that I am broken in spirit and body, careworn, haggard, grey-haired and aged beyond my years, riven by unspoken fears and nameless dreads is of course the inevitable consequence of over 20 years of supporting Sunderland.*
[Contents][Notes and index][The other index]
[Contents][Notes and index][The other index]
*'High intelligence and football fanaticism seldom go together'
- Hugh MacDiarmid, in The Scotsman, 8th May 1978
