Artwork created for Southend City Jam 2023.

For Gnasher it all started in 1985. The growing UK graffiti movement brought some well-known graffiti artists to his hometown of Harlow in Essex. Back then, he was an eager young graffiti writer mainly painting letters and words, but seeing these artists create characters to go with their letters inspired him to develop his own, hyper-real style of spray can art.

As he went on to study art and graphic design, he left behind the world of graffiti and travelled the world concentrating on Djing and graphic design. But 16 years later, in 2009, a friend bought a load of spray paint and invited him out for the day: graffiti was back in his life and he was hooked.