Born in 1957 in Poole, Dorset, Cliff always intended to choose a creative vocation. In his teenage years he worked an apprenticeship in a silk screen printing studio. “I enjoyed it there, and I would have continued learning the skills. But unfortunately the business closed due to the three day week in the 1970’s and I had to reconsider my career,” he said.
He chose to study illustration, life drawing and art history at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art under the tutorage of Stanley Paine, Sam Rabin and Michael Leek. I could be creative and work on a variety of projects. But being creative is not enough. You have to think how to earn a living.
After art school, Cliff worked as a freelance illustrator, creating artwork for advertising agencies and publishing houses.
ART BUSINESS STARTS IN THE GARDEN SHED
While still a student, Cliff sat down at the family’s dining table and dotted business ideas for starting an advertising agency, Creative Studios. His first studio was the garden shed. Modest beginnings for a family-run business that became a go-to agency for some of the biggest travel and tourism brands.
An early step forward for the business came when Cliff designed a low airfare advert for leading travel company, Bath Travel. He charged £10 for it. “They liked my work, and we started 30-year collaboration,” Cliff said.
Over 45 years, his company designed advertising materials for top global travel brands, including luxury cruise lines such as Celestyal Cruises, Cunard, Seabourn and SeaDream. They also designed maps, property leaflets and information panels for most of the National Trust properties in the South West, marketing material for Dorset Tourism, Somerset Tourism, the London Tourist board and many others organisations.
Despite business success, work never took over all of Cliff’s time, he has always painted. In 2005 Cliff established the Creative Gallery in Wareham running it until the current owner took over in 2014.