As an artist a lot of your time is spent alone. An assistant is great for letting you know when you need a break. My old assistants Ned and Eve were loyal supporters offering great moral support and extremely reliable.

After Ned the Executive Assistant passed away a few years ago. I got a new helper, instantly causing Eve to resign and spend her days in the bedroom sleeping, an unresolvable conflict of personality. New assistant Max has proved challenging.

I’ve given him the role of health and safety officer, letting me know when I’ve spent too much time concentrating or sitting down. I now know when I need to have a quick play with a frisbee or go for a walk. He does make a great model too, showing me all the different angles a dog’s legs can go on. Inspirational nose too.

Loves to get right among the photo shoots as well, I can’t fault his enthusiasm. Still working on his listening skills and reliability.