Alastair studied Fine art at University College Falmouth. Since graduating in 2011 he has received several awards and Bursaries for his work including, The Wilhelmina Barnes Graham Travel to Italy Bursary, The Midas award and the Richard Ford Award. In 2012 he received funding from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship trust to study portrait drawing and painting In Florence, Italy at the renowned atelier of artist Charles H Cecil. In 2013 he received the Leverhulme study abroad studentship enabling him to extend his studies for a further two years.

Alastair has worked as assistant to Nicholas Beer at the Sarum Studio since 2015, where he teaches portrait drawing and painting.

Barford has work in private and public collections and is currently accepting portrait commissions.