“As far back as I can recall, art was always my thing. I was fine in other things but art just fit. The first time I realised I could draw well enough to sell was in college. I was between lessons so I went outside and saw a pretty autumn leaf on the ground. Picked it up and took it back to the library.

It wasn’t busy in there so I put my headphones on and started to sketch my leaf. I was lost in the moment and totally unaware a crowd had started to form. Being a typical teenager I just grabbed my things and ran out very embarrassed.

A few days later two students offered to give me their lunch money for the picture…I said yes and treated myself to a posh sandwich across the road. It then dawned upon me that maybe I should take my art more seriously. So after college I did an arts degree at Lincoln University. I later acquired my PGCE in art, design & media at Brighton University .

The Art and The Galleries

Moving between architecture, teaching and fine art was my life, however the desire to become a professional fine artist was more recent & personal. I wanted to create my own brand of modern textured art that also incorporated older painting techniques. Things started to sell.

I moved out of the studio at home and took a small studio in a building in Angmering Village. It had no heating, the walls were a biscuit colour and it had a large roof lantern that was covered up. It also had a wheelchair in the middle of it. I didn’t care…this was my creative space. With a £200 budget I bought a load of white paint, unveiled the roof lantern and purchased a fireplace from ebay. The art studio was born. I held open studios on Fridays and people turned up. Things grew… the main gallery, Atelier gallery, Watamu gallery and now the Mayfair pop up gallery. I needed more artists.

A group of students I was training became my first resident artists, then others followed. The gallery now has a wonderful mix of oil, pastel, acryllic and watercolour painters, sculptors and photographers. All known as the Resident Artists. I had never intended for it to grow so big…I still feel like its just me in my studio painting but sometimes, when there is a moment, I look around and see artists creating, chatting to collectors, exchanging ideas and think….I love this place. My end goal is to eventually to have a gallery in Cornwall near somewhere I can surf as well as paint.