 He studied at the Sunderland College of Art (1951–54) and Royal College of Art, London (1954–57), under John Skeaping and under the influence of Jacob Epstein (then in the college working on the Llandaff Christ).In 1958 and 1959, having been awarded the Sir James Knott Travelling Scholarship, he completed his studies by travel in France, Italy and Greece, being influenced by the sculptural masters such as Michelangelo and Donatello and by the simplicity of form in Cycladic art.In 1961, he was appointed Lecturer in Sculpture at Newcastle-upon-Tyne College of Art and when this merged into Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic 9 years later (1970).