Ivan showed promise artistically in early years and passed A level art at 15 years old. However he was persuaded against a future in art in favour of the sciences. As a consequence he enjoyed a career in Veterinary Science until his retirement in 1999.It was always Ivan's wish to return to artistic interests and after retirement he was able to indulge in lost ambitions.Pastel had always held a fascination for Ivan from a young age and is now his medium of choice almost exclusively. The subject matter Ivan choses is varied, from still life and landscapes, through to narrative work. However his tenancies lie more towards portraiture and of course capturing realism in animal studies. Much of Ivan's work is detailed, this being achieved through the use of pastel pencils and content sticks, which compliment the broader strokes of the soft pastels themselves. To date Ivan has completed more than 200 works, over 100 of which have been commissioned or sold. You can view more on Ivan's website.