When pressed, I say that I’m an Artist and Entrepreneur. Sometimes that comes out as Social Artist and Master Community Builder – that’s what it says on my business cards at the moment.

It boils down to me loving to do lots of cool stuff. Get in touch if you’re interested in having me do cool stuff in your organisation or if you have an idea for a creative collaboration with me.

I don’t subscribe to the “Starving Artist” myth. Any work I do for free or cheaply is by virtue of being pro bono publico. I don’t have fixed rates for anything – if you find value in my work, I trust that we can find a mutually acceptable exchange. I’m only stupidly expensive when you ask me to do something stupid.

I like to help. Ask me.

Social Art
The definition of social art that I work with is “The process of skilfully bringing people together in such a way as to create a sense of beauty and attraction in those that see or participate in it”. I love the complementary blend of face-to-face engagement with online social networking. The power of my work comes from bringing people together in novel forms of conversation while also making the most of these online social tools.

Residencies
I am currently Social Artist in Residence at the University of London’s Centre for Creative Collaboration. My presence there has meant that the team hit several of their first year targets in a few months and I have encouraged a culture of conversation and online presence. I’m just about to complete my first six months there and the University has just agreed a further six months extension.

I’m looking for a simultaneous and complementary residency with another partner for least for the next six months (and possibly longer with the right organisation).

Social Art Field Trips
My time as a blogger has meant that I’m comfortable telling stories in a variety of media, I’m as happy writing as I am taking photographs and making video.

In March 2010 I traveled the breadth of the United States of America with friends from Tuttle, visiting 7 major cities and holding meetups wherever we could. This included attending SXSWi in Austin TX. I travelled on my own after SXSWi to Los Angeles where I met up with the Long Beach Tuttle Club. We documented the trip as we went and I’m now working with Heather Taylor (who came on the trip as a filmaker) to wade through hours of video to put together a documentary chronicling our experience. I’m also writing a daily e-mail recounting the whole story over again in bite-sized chunks. What’s emerging is a kind of transmedia documentary.

This form of Field Trip for making Social Art really appeals to me and I’m considering a number of similar projects (though not all involve travel on such a grand scale!) as well as running half-day workshops to explore the techniques involved.

Tuttle
I’m the founder of Tuttle (Club) a group that is finding new ways of working and playing together by making the most of the social web. Check out the blog. We meet every Friday from 10-12 at the Centre for Creative Collaboration.

Consulting
I do still work as a consultant, but my preference is to work with others from the Tuttle Club. We’ve done one large piece of work together and developed an interesting way of working.

Facilitation
That bit above about “bringing people together in novel forms of conversation”? You might think of that as “facilitation” but why use one word when you can find 8 to do the job? I’m at my best in an Open Space environment but I can be more directive where needed.

Music
I sing and play ukulele. Here’s some and you can find more on the Podcasts page. I play standards from the 1920′s, 30′s & 40′s. I used to be a licenced busker on the London Underground, but they made it far too complicated to make it worthwhile. I do gigs from time to time when people ask me. I should do more, but y’know, there’s only so many hours in the day.

No, I don’t do amusing covers of [insert your favourite modern popular beat combo name here].

Visual Art
This is the stuff I make when I put coloured pens in my hand. It really deserves a page of its own. There’s nothing deep and meaningful about it except what you make up. Lots of people see the organic feel of the forms and interpret them as bacteria or intestines (or maybe that’s just the kind of folk I show my work to…)