The most important thing I’ve ever taught my son is “you always have a choice". Every day, we make choices that govern the way we live our lives. From the setting of an alarm, breakfast content, use of time and so on.

Whilst we claim to live in a free world; those choices are influenced by our social and economic status and their corresponding stimuli. We can however make a change and change is most certainly needed. Quoting Batman may not be elite writing but these two quotes are powerful (second being an extract from a Marianne Williamson poem).

“It’s not who we are; but what we do that defines us.”

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”

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Become everything you can be is how I often sign my work. As an artist, I feel privileged to be able to help impact the lives of others. My ambition is to inspire a generation to follow their dreams and to embrace their true identity. Working with students and producing art that challenges young people to question/form their true values and beliefs and to give light to some of the greatest opportunities they will ever have. This age group needs their freedom to shape the world they will grow into. That freedom of expression will only ever be achieved if we embrace our creativity.

I keep referring to creativity vs art because art is just one platform. I’m passionate about my art but not expecting every child to be the next Tracey Emin or Van Gough. The work I do with students using art has tangible results. Mainly because in many cases, these students are able to be free from constricted learning. Instead using skills and experimental techniques to produce results that are unique. For this reason, I would raise a question to ask why education is not more centred on experiential learning. Our teachers deserve huge praise and respect for what they do yet their lives are not made easy and at times no doubt somewhat suffocating.

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So why is this critical? Look at the world and news around us and you see stories of horrific indiscretions. My view is that these events and actions/crimes are prevalent not for a lack of understanding because that would be giving it a justification but due to lack of accountability and subsequent lack of appropriate consequences. A point made in part by Laura Bates in reference to her work on everyday sexism. It goes beyond one topic, however, and relevant to issues of race, gender, age and many more. In my lifetime I have memories that will attest to many indiscretions towards me including failures within a legal system.

Help raise a generation to think freely for what is right versus the influences of whirlwind media bursts and we stand in good stead to help develop winners of the Earthshot prize, finding a cure for cancer, next generation design, communication and exploration across the galaxies. Already some will say; he’s a dreamer but I’m not the first person to have dreamt of great change.

We should be able to trust our leaders in all walks of life to make the right choices. Not least those in positions of power yet I am not sure I trust the decisions made by any politician. We are seeing pain and suffering and there needs to be accountability and change to help those asking for it.