I began my career as an architect specialising in concept design and graphic presentation during the ‘boom and bust’ years of the 1980’s and early 90’s.
Disillusioned with the compromises and commercialised values of those times, I taught studio design part-time at the Liverpool School of Architecture for 10 years followed by a shorter stay at the Manchester School. The stimulus of coming into contact with talented students who were to go on to become leading young practitioners provoked a sequence of theoretical designs that were shortlisted in international architectural competitions. Encouraged by the celebrated critic Martin Pawley, this career phase culminated in a series of controversial self-illustrated articles published in the international journal ‘World Architecture’ during 1993-4 see blog ‘Dislocation’
My consultancy ‘Ideas Illustrated’ features renowned practices SOM(London), Pentagram, and Arups among its many clients. Looking at recent projects, my work as designer of the children’s hospice, Ty Gobaith, in the Conwy Valley, North Wales, and my artwork for the highly successful interactive exhibits at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea stand out in my mind.
‘gilbert pictures’ was set up in April 2006 when its website went live online but really my creation of limited edition prints dates back to 1989 with the Editions Gallery at the Bluecoat Arts, Liverpool and has continued with local galleries Benards and Morgan Roberts in North Wales. My series of images ‘Light on the Orme’ were the subject of a solo exhibition at the Museum gallery, Llandudno, and my work has also featured in the ‘Coast’ and Mid-Wales Open exhibitions.
I have received two ‘Awards for Excellence’ from the American Institute of Architectural Illustration, the first in 2007 and again in 2009- see blog ‘Award for Excellence’ Now I am putting a toe into the uncharted waters of graphic novels-cum-comics with Illustrated Stories- word and pictures in unique combination- see blog ‘Comics for the Mature reader’
You can see and read about my illustrations, prints and comics at www.gilpics.com.