I am a Freelance Digital Designer with over 30 years of commercial experience and who lives on the Isle of Wight.

My career all started when I left school in Shropshire with A-Levels in Art and Design and enrolled on to the one year Art Foundation course at Stourbridge Art College in the West Midlands. Here I was exposed to all forms of artistic creativity and was truly able to let my hair down (when I had some). It was from here that my path led me in the direction of graphic design and computers.

After Stourbridge Art College, I went on to Worcester College of Technology where I embarked upon the two year HND Diploma course in Electronic Graphics. It was the first of its kind in the country and I was one of the lucky few students to be offered a place on this course. We had brand new Apple Macintosh II computers and were able to experience the new world of desktop publishing, graphic design, multimedia and animation.

After successfully completing the course, I went straight into a job with Kays Catalogue’s ‘Electronic Retailing Department’ after winning their competition to design a logo for their startup internet shop. The internet at this point was only just starting to get public awareness. I came onboard as a graphic designer and supplied the team of programmers with all manner of graphics at a very small size. It was at this time I also attended a part time course at Coventry University and graduated with an MA in Electronic Graphics.

The sparkling lights of London were calling and my journey further down South began. Over the next 10 years or so, I worked for several digital agencies and produced work for large corporate clients. The latter part of that time was heavily involved in the Automotive Industry. This was a particular joy for me since I was (and still am) a ‘petrolhead’.

I then branched out and started ROJ Design Ltd, working freelance for individuals, small business and corporate giants, not just in the UK, but also internationally. It was also at this point I moved to the Isle of Wight. One of my best decisions in life.

I then hit 50…

I’ve now come to a point in my life where I long for the creative freedom I so enjoyed and thrived in at college and not to be tied to the corporate shackles of brand guidelines, generic documents and rules and regulations.

In 2017 I lost my Dad to lung cancer caused by smoking. It was during his time in hospital leading up to his early death that I became very angry and upset because of what smoking had done to him and to us as a family. To make matters worse, my Mum (also a heavy smoker) continued to smoke despite Dad dying before our very eyes.

It was at this point that I turned to creativity to vent my anger, frustration and hurt. Sketches soon filled my iPad with ideas relating to smoking, its effect and ultimately my first experience of dealing with death of a very close loved one.

After Dad passed, these sketches and ideas never saw the light of day for fear of upsetting my Mum or other family members. Mum passed in 2021 and it’s only now as I’ve reached a milestone in my life that I’ve decided to do something with those ideas. Mum was a fantastic artist who was never allowed to pursue an artistic career because Grandad wouldn’t allow her to, because back in the swinging 50/60s he said that ‘all artists are druggies’.

Me as an artist…..

I’m in no way a trained artist. I’m more of a conceptual artist and the pieces I imagine up are very much based on ‘Word Play’.

The subject matter is at present based on the issues associated with smoking. Once I’ve exorcised those pieces then I’ll see where my creativity takes me.

What medium do I work in? I rely heavily upon my digital skillset as that’s what I know inside out. I’ve started to ‘go analogue’ and stretched my own canvas, and started to experiment with paint. It’s all new and I’m finding my feet. A lot of my work is still ‘Works in Progress’ or ‘Concepts’ so you’ll have to bare with me.

For now, I continue as a freelance digital designer as that’s what puts the food on the table, but I look forward to my ‘new creative journey’.

Thanks for reading! – Rog