There is an English saying that "we are what we eat", but I believe that our education and the skills we develop as we go through life define who we are.  If that is the case then I am either a scientist with a passion for art, or an artist with an understanding of science.  My experience as a scientist or more correctly, a chemist has been in what has been called the "Surface Coatings" Industry.  During my time working for ink, paint and art materials manufacturers I have worked as formulator, pigment dispersion specialist and research and development manager.  I have also "earned my spurs" as a technical consultant, working with a number of clients to improve their manufacturing quality and perfect what they do best.

So by way of an introduction:   

Art

I am very much a self taught artist although I did study art to "A" level at school.  This probably does not mean anything to those who are not familiar with the British education system, so perhaps I should qualify that I formally studied art up to the age of 18.  I considered going on to study to degree level at Art School, but decided I should leave the world of Academia and head out into the big wide world and work for a living.  Although my chosen career path was not in an artistic field, I continued to paint and draw as a hobby in my spare time.  I was commissioned to paint pictures by my friends and have also exhibited and sold paintings at local Art Society exhibitions.  However, the real catalyst which boosted my taste for art was during my time with Winsor and Newton, where I began experimenting with different techniques and media.

Science

After leaving school at 18, I began working at GEC-Henley ltd, an electrical engineering company as a chemical laboratory technician.  It was during my time at GEC-Henley that I attended day release classes at Mid Kent College of Higher and Further Education, Chatham, which eventually led to passing the examination for Graduate membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry (1987).  In 1989, after a successful period of assessment, I gained the professional qualification of Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Chartered Chemist (MRSC CChem).

My thirst for academic learning continued and in 1990 I began working towards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from South Bank University in London.  My thesis was titled "Free Radical Polymerisation Studies of 4-Substituted Styrenes" and the degree was awarded in 1996.  Based on my work, my supervisors and I published two scientific papers:

RWH Berry, AJ Ludlow and RJ Mazza, Macromol. Chem. Physics. 198, 1579-1595 (1997)

RWH Berry, AJ Ludlow and RJ Mazza, Macromol. Chem. Physics. 198, 3931-3952 (1997)

Business

Whilst working at Johnson Matthey plc, I studied for the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA) with the Open University Business School, Milton Keynes.  I was awarded the degree in 2006 after completing the course in the shortest period possible of two and a half years.