Onwards is a collection of drawings and paintings that feature characters on their way somewhere. Each drawing tells its own story, but collectively they embody the emotional landscape of personal journeys.

The drawings are largely a reflection of some of my own fears regarding relationships, self worth and life’s meaning. Despite these themes, the work is ultimately hopeful, playful and optimistic. The characters embody a range of emotional states, from eagerness and wonder to fear and uncertainty, while recurring motifs such as pencils, worms, birds and animated plant life act as symbols. They represent beginnings, work ethic, ego, desire, imposter syndrome and many other ideas, but I hope the viewer can interpret them and relate in their own way.

I see Onwards as the beginning of a bigger and more fully realised world of characters that I hope to further develop. If I find myself drawing recurring characters then I name them - such as the bushes with eyes - now known as ‘The Peerlings’. They live in many different types of bushes across the landscape. Their only ability is to peer silently at passers by, communicating to their fellow Peerling through subtle eye movements. They are physically harmless, but make the more self-conscious traveller feel uneasy about what they are thinking.

Others such as ‘Beakoo’ had an instant character about them. They’re quiet, calm creatures who fly around delivering stuff. They just get on with the job, no complaints.

The flying snake-like creature is a type of love monster. This species must eat love hearts to survive. They have an unfortunate biology in that they physically generate the love hearts they need to consume. This happens after a loving encounter, or if they receive some form of validation, so they try very hard to be liked by others. The love monster lives its whole life in a constant cycle of seeking love for survival, a desperate yet also enjoyable existence (because love hearts are delicious).

At its heart, Onwards is about facing struggles and fears with as much hope, wonder and positivity that one can muster. It’s about consciously moving forward, through various terrains, on various modes of transport, sometimes on your own but hopefully sometimes with a buddy.