ERRRR….
I do read my emails so it’s the best way of getting in touch with me: aidan (at) www.professorpotts.com
Now of course there is a difficulty here. One mustn’t confuse Aidan Potts, cartoonist and illustrator, and his Alter Ego, Professor Potts. They have quite different biographies.
Professor Potts is a dashing investigator who loves nothing more than jet-setting around the world exploring scientific mysteries. He lives in a secret location with his glamorous wife. His butler has a PhD in nuclear science and his dog will only eat bones from the Jurassic period.
Aidan Potts- ie my humble self – has a slightly more tedious and hard working biography.
1963. Born in London, 6 months later my parents moved to Nigeria where I spent my first 6 years. My father is an Australian headmaster of international schools and after Nigeria we lived in Bogota, Colombia for three years, Dar Es Salaam Tanzania for three years, with short stints in the UK but also the Turks and Caicos and Tripoli. This led to an eccentric education and I grew up learning more about the Mayans than the English Royals.
1984-7. History of Art at University College London studying modern art and in particular the satirical prints of Hogarth, Cruikshank and Gillray.
1987-90. Living and working in Paris, also in pursuit of my wife to be Sophie.
Whilst there I worked for various independent comic strip magazines. Also as a researcher for a book on Paris.
1990. On returning to London in 1990 I began working as an illustrator for the Times Educational Supplement every week for 16 years.
1993-6. Worked as an illustrator for the Independent and also The Sunday Times.
Co-Editor of the underground comic anthology “Inkling” which ran for five years.
1994-7. Illustrations for Rob Childs Football Books. Eight books, Young Corgi /Corgi Yearling.
1996. Illustrations for “The Horrible Olympics”, Scholastic.
1995. My son Quentin was born.
1997-9. Established BigCo. with three friends producing daily animated cartoons for the web editions for the Guardian, the Economist, The Electronic Telegraph, MSN and The BBC.
1998 My son Arthur was born
1999-2001. “Ming” a weekly comic strip for The Antiques Trade Gazette. Also illustrating weekly columns in Computer Weekly and Computing magazines.
2002. Randy The Skeleton. A compilation of early comic strip work published by Slave Labor Graphics in the USA.
2002-3. “LookWhatYou’veSaid” appears weekly in The New Zealand Herald.
2004. Signed a two book contract with David Fickling Books.
2006. “Uneversaurus” Published.
2007-8 “Global Warming-the plus side” Comic strip for Private Eye
2009 “The Smash! Smash! Truck” published.
2010-2 Created and developed “English idioms Illustrated” App…1 million downloads in 2 years
2013 Living in Madrid for 3 years, created, developed and published the rebus game/puzzle “D-pixing!”
2014 Living for 3 years in Aix en Provence. Begin to work on Watercolour Paintings
2019 “London Snapdragon”exhibited RWS Annual show. “Pavement Primrose” 2nd prize Sunday Times Watercolour Competition. “White Lobelias” exhibited in Competition as well.
2020 “White Lobelias” exhibited in RWS Annual Show. “Corydalis Lutea pipe” exhibited RIPW Annual Show.
2021 “Daisies on Edge” exhibited in RBSA Annual Show, “Purple Z” exhibited at RIPW Annual Show, “Wild Garlic” exhibited Gemini Prize, “Red Brick Dandy” exhibited Federation of British Artists
2022 Hari Art Prize Two Paintings exhibited “Daisy O”, “Purple Paynes”