Can you give us an overview of your online store/website and how it was created?
thickblackoutline.com was created in 2006, when I felt it was time I got serious about a few things in my artistic career. I wanted to market the concept of [a] thickblackoutline, rather than just the services of a 'graphic designer.' "Make it bold, daring, dynamic, energetic, flashy, gutsy, powerful, risky, vitalising!" is the motto for thickblackoutline. I try to push the envelope towards doing work that stands out above the crowd, something that your eye is drawn to, something memorable. Soon Redbubble came on the scene, where I was able to present my work to a much wider audience, not just industry, but art lovers and people who buy art online.  I've been a member of Red Bubble since the very early days and have watched it grow from a national (Australian) site, to a worldwide phenomenon! This has also opened my work up to a world wide audience, and I've been able to sell my work on t-shirts...  and t-shirts that I can proudly recommend due to their high quality and print, which is extremely important!

Your artwork has a big Japanese influence, have you been fascinated
with this style? Or is it something you admire?
It’s something which I am fascinated with, so much so I’ve made it a part of my life. I have always felt such a strong connection to the Japanese culture, even when I was little - almost as if it’s related to a past life or something like that. I've never been to Japan, but I can't wait to go! I have a lot of people who contact me, thinking I am Japanese, or have lived in Japan for years - I take this as the upmost compliment!

What are 5 of your favourite items?
1. Love 2. Green Tea 3. White Chocolate 4. My Sketchbook 5. Sushi

You mentioned you had a few tattoos and we know how addictive they
are, what are your plans for the next one?
YES! They are very addictive, it’s like a healing ritual for me.  I read somewhere that a good tattoo artist is considered to be an Urban Shaman, which I really really love!  I have 5 currently, spirit, fire and snake in Japanese, a dragon and a Japanese family crest, which is called a Kamon.

The plan for number 6 is a big black and grey thigh piece of a version (which I have recently reworked) of this... http://www.redbubble.com/people/
thickblackoutline/art/1712923-2-tea-geisha-ii  I would like to get it in such a way where I can add more elements to her, in particular branches of cherry blossoms behind which will weave around and go half way up my back - heaven!!

Where do you see yourself or yourself or Thickblackoutline in 10 years?
I'd really like to have my own little family, but also have a thickblackoutline family, being involved in many different industries, including bedding, snowboards, pyjamas, skateboards.

Is there a message you try to convey in your designs/artwork?
I think there is a small message in everything I do about being one's self. It’s important to be in touch with who you are on a soul level. I try to convey my own spirit/soul in my work. In a way there is no relation to my work and my physical self, but I've noticed over the last few years they are starting to match up - which is nice.

Do you have any exhibitions or projects coming up?
At the moment I have some of my hand painted geishas at a shop called Ashanti on the Gold Coast.