About Craig

As new family members join our ever growing tree, it is natural to find out a little about the family members. Shoe making and designing seems to be in my blood as my forefathers were all involved in shoemaking. My grandfather  Louis, however, was a superb gardener and although blinded in the first world war, created a wonderful garden at his home in Brighton, Sussex. I was taught by him how to care for plants and he was my inspiration in developing my hobby of Bonsai. I now have five books out  on Bonsai and these are all very popular around the world translated onto a number of languages including Russian which pleases my Russian Wife. My dad Jack, was an avid cine photographer and loved to talk to me about his techniques for taking shots. I see the world now through a lens sometimes not taking enough time to see what it is that I am photographing. Most of the pictures in all my books have been taken by me.

Click for larger picture©
I run a business called Hullachan which is one of the worlds premier suppliers, designers and manufacturers of Irish and Scottish Dancing Shoes. I have been a dance shoe fitter for 45 years and finally became the chief fitter and designer for Gamba Dance Shoes which was since 1903, one of the worlds largest dance and theatrical shoe makers. I was part of this company  until 1995 and my job was to fit over 160 professional ballet companies and most of the professional theatres around the globe. I retired in 1995 to focus my energies in making shoes for the niche market of Irish and Scottish dance. Hullachan is a Scottish Gaelic word that means a dance done at a party. The word has its origins in the 16th century. My mother Sadie Simpson, was a famous dance teacher and she registered the name in 1970 for her own dance shoe line that I designed for her business. I have since registered the name in all the countries that we operate.

My company website is here: www.hullachan.com

Marriage: I was first married to Griselda and we have two children, Keith and Rebecca. Keith is married to Nina and they have a little boy Max and Rebecca married Chris and they have two wee girls, Hannah and Jessica. Griselda and I amicably separated and then divorced in the early 90's

I met Svetlana in 1993 in Edinburgh where I was living and we became friends eventually getting married and have been together since Svetlana is from Volgograd in Southern Russia. A former philologist and teacher of Russian Literature, Svetlana now has a new interest in the study of Marine Biology. I keep saying that was why she married a whale. Hence my present life permanently dieting. My plan is to lose half my weight within the next three years.

My wife is my inspiration to become a writer.

Craig outside the Kremlin Walls with a friends Borzoi.

As a youngster I swam for the Glasgow Macaabi and the Scottish Team. I started Ju-Jitsu when I was 9 and over the years studied Kung Fu and ITF and WTF Tae Kwon Do,  I practised TKD for 12 years. I used this martial arts experience for my later part time work in the theatre.

Fencing became part of my life in 1972 and I eventually qualified as a Fencing Coach teaching around Edinburgh. In 1983 I was asked to coach the Scottish Paraplegic Team as this is their only combat Sport. My success with them lead the British Team organisers to appoint me as the National Coach for Great Britain  a little later.

In 1975 I was asked to teach fight scenes for one of Scottish Operas two opening productions at their newly purchased home, The Theatre Royal in Glasgow. This was Verdi's Otello. The production was made special as my own fencing coach, the wonderful and highly respected Professor Bert Bracewell the National Coach, was assisting me in this huge undertaking, The production was extremely successful and Scottish Opera asked me to do many more productions after this. I also created the notation for fights at Scottish Ballet's mew production of Romeo and Juliet  and other dance companies. I had a musical background and a dance background so this was relatively easy.

I went on to create the fights for  a series of Operas at  English National Opera and Opera North. I worked on over 45 different television and film productions during the following 12 years. Although teaching fencing at nights and at weekends, I managed to juggle my teaching commitments with my theatrical commitments and my business of selling dancewear.

I retired from Fencing in 1987 to concentrate on my work as a fitter and designer of Ballet Shoes which by this time was taking me all over the world.

I was taught to play clarinet at a young age and over the years I have
learned a number of wood wind and brass instruments

Here are some links to my photo pages. http://www.bonsaiinformation.com/landscape1.htm and http://www.bonsaiinformation.com/landscapes1.htm
My father inspired me to take up photography as he was an avid cine photographer and he taught me scene placement and landscape structure in film.
I now take natural and urban landscapes and people on their jobs. Although I an a bit overweight, I still manage to climb the rocks to get the best landscape
shot.  I also like the urban landscape as I can  thoroughly  investigate the pubs and eateries wherever work takes me. Its a tough job but someone etc etc

 Kyoto Japan ©

 
Tallinn Estonia  Baltic Sea©

Les Chefs ,Nantes France ©

Clannais (Clannaish) -Isle of Lewis  ©

Les Cafe des Federations, Lyon France ©

Loch Lomond, Scotland ©

 Jenny Lake, Grand Tetons Wyoming USA©

Ketchikan, Alaska USA ©

Sofalia, New South Wales, Australia ©

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