Theo Crutchley-Mack was born in Bristol in 1994 and has lived in various parts of the UK including Yorkshire, Cornwall and Pembrokeshire. At the age of 16 he became the first teenager to design a coin for the Royal Mint which was later released into circulation throughout the UK. This achievement sparked a specific interest in drawing which he continues to explore in his work today. Theo studied BA (Hons) Drawing at Falmouth University in Cornwall. This locations history allowed him to develop a keen interest in ruins and abandonment, which is now linked closely to his practice.

The detrimental effects of nature on man made surfaces leave small insights into the fragmented history of abandoned landscapes. Theo spends many hours studying these places by drawing and painting in all variations of weather and light. These drawings then inform more sustained works created in his studio at a later date. “These ruins have a profound effect on the atmosphere of a landscape and it is this which I attempt to capture within my drawing.” The obsession with abandonment and decay is a consistent theme in Theo’s work.