Adam Wheatley, Australian artist, illustrator & feature film artisan. Currently working on 'The Hobbit' in New Zealand.

Adam grew up in hippie communes, on a desert island with a pet dingo, and outback mining towns.

After leaving school, I did an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic with BHP, Western Australia. In my spare time I designed tattoos and read vast numbers of comics and graphic novels.

The mining life was a drag for a creative. So Wheatley bought a one way ticket to Europe, where I partied long and hard.

On returning to Perth, WA, Adam began art school. But I left in the second year due to disagreements with the education process.

In 1998, Wheatley started a commercial art business, which was great fun.

In 2002, Adam moved to Sydney to work on feature films. First up was 'Star Wars 3' at Fox Studios. Then 'Stealth' (pretty bad), 'Narnia - The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe'(bit mawkish),'King Kong' and 'Superman Returns' (never seen it).

He became a full-time artist in 2005. Following 3 successful solo shows and was picked up by galleries in Sydney and Melbourne. Did numerous group shows from 2008 'til now. Also had many works in fine art auctions, with a 100% strike rate.

Adam went back to feature films late 2009, working on the 'Mad Max 4 - Fury Road. He is currently a sculptor on 'The Hobbit' in New Zealand. Lives with his wife and daughter, a pet lamb and 3 guinea pigs in Greytown, a small town near Wellington.