ABOUT

I fell in love with abstract painting by accident. After 20 years hunched over a computer screen as a digital illustrator, designer, and animator my body began to protest. I started experimenting with paint to reduce computer screen time and fell in love with the hands-on approach, the freedom of technique, and the expressive quality of painting.

People say my work brings them joy and happiness, which is so lovely to hear. It is “fun, airy, and fresh”.

I am inspired by the feeling of Spring, Japanese aesthetics, especially Japanese woodblock prints and calligraphy brush paintings, abstract expressionists, and colour in all its glory.

I build up the layers of a painting by responding to marks, colours and shapes that have been laid down before. I instinctively know where to put the next mark, what works and doesn't, and how to create unity in the composition. I aim to paint without overthinking and overworking it.

Painting brings me so much happiness. I love not knowing what will emerge as I paint and delight in getting messy, accepting happy mistakes, and exploring new colour combinations and marks that appear like magic.

Each day is a new adventure which brings excitement and curiosity. Always asking, I wonder what would happen if I do this or that… experimenting and exploring.

I am a painter, illustrator, and creativity coach based in the heart of England, UK.

I trained at Chelsea School of Art in London and set up my first creative business at the age of twenty-two.

I have illustrated over twenty children’s books for Parragon Publishing and Scholastics among many others. Created illustrations for Next clothing and stationery companies. Also, I designed ceramic homeware for Liberty London, House of Fraser, and independent galleries around the UK.

I now work as an artist creating mainly abstract paintings exploring the relationship between colour, marks, and shapes.

I include creative coaching among my services and draw on my background in psychology, confidence coaching, running my own creative business, and working in non-profit art organisations to support creatives to do their best work.

I am the co-author of three books on creativity and coaching and self-published ‘Mindfulness for Peace of Mind - a practical guide to finding your inner calm’.

Bio

Podcasts I’ve been a guest on:

Clients Include

Egmont World // Parragon book publishing // Top That book publishing //Scholastics children's book publishing

We Are Thought Clothing // Liberty London // Next // Disney // Marks and Spencers // WHSmiths // Simon Elvin greeting card publisher // Burgoyne greeting card publisher // Astor Green greeting card publisher // Top Table giftware

Author

Routledge Publication // Dover Press Inc. // Self Published

Community Projects + Project Development as Artist, Animator and Digital Media

QUAD // People Express // Deda // Arts Council // Children in Need // English Heritage // Derby City Council // Social Services // Derbyshire Police // East Midlands Participatory Arts Forum // Children in Care // Services for the Disabled // Alzheimer’s Society //Cruse Bereavement

If you'd like to collaborate or get in touch, hit the enquiries button below.