At MBA, we pride ourselves on celebrating our team’s diverse talents, and Phil Dean, founder of Studio Certain, exemplifies this perfectly. When ITV London News approached Phil for a special feature on ‘Hidden London’, he brought the same creative passion he brings to our agency, transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary.
As the renowned Shoreditch Sketcher, Phil guided Sally Williams through Smithfield, unveiling a neighbourhood that’s far more than just a location on a map. It’s a living canvas of London’s history, where every architectural detail tells a story and Phil describes it as a “sketcher’s dream”. From a hidden 30-foot-high statue of Henry VIII at St. Bart’s to untouched World War I bomb damage, Phil’s tour revealed the extraordinary within the seemingly ordinary.
When asked to describe Smithfield in one word, Phil’s response was simple yet profound: “History.”
Perhaps most memorable was Phil’s philosophy of “always embrace the wobble” – a metaphor that perfectly captures both his sketching style and professional approach. This creative insight makes us proud to have Phil as part of the MBA family, showcasing how our team’s passions extend far beyond the workplace.
Watch the video below!
Phil regularly teaches urban sketching workshops and posts drawings from cities around the world using his popular Instagram account, @shoreditchsketcher, which has more than 100,000 followers.
You can also explore his website: shoreditchsketcher.com, and YouTube channel: @shoreditchsketcher5725.
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