ABOUT

I fell in love with abstract painting by accident. After 20 years of being 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 lovely. 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, layers, 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.