Hello and welcome

I work from my home on the edge of Southampton in Southern England

The common thread that feeds throughout much of my work links to a desire to connect,  to tell a story and to capture a moment

I create  my work using  a variety of mediums including traditional media, mixed media,  photography and  natural/ found materials

My love of working with natural organic materials which are sustainable and link to my love of nature and pattern and texture which threads throughout much of my work and often incorporates a way of working that is embedded in earlier traditions.

I find that there is something very immediate about working with natural materials that are challenging as well as allowing me to develop my own way of working.

I love creating in this way and the connection to times gone by is very important to me as is the desire to share some of this with others.

Making and creating has always been part of my life,  In many ways, I have realized that I  am on a journey of discovery, it took me many years to find the confidence to exhibit and sell my work a now I cant imagine doing anything else.

I now look back on that time as a great apprenticeship as the experience of sharing and solving problems with others has been so valuable and has enabled me to push my own boundaries.

I took the plunge to step out of the comfort zone last year when I decided to apply for a talent development grant with a-space arts, I was thrilled to have been chosen alongside nine other artists to receive the award. The funding enabled me to work with a mentor and photographer and also enabled me to spend time creating and experimenting as an artist in residence at Furzey Gardens in Hampshire.

With the restrictions brought about by Covid 19  lockdown, this has delayed my ability to carry on working there. So I am exploring other ways to do this.

In the beginning, I couldn’t do anything its strange how having our liberty taken away from us had affected us all in so many different ways.

Bit by bit  I am now refocusing and exploring and spending time revisiting some of my passions and being of use to others.

I am often asked by people starting out, where is a good place to start, all I can say is that there is no one way as it depends on the work you create and finding an audience and the approach you take. there is not magic button just a lot of hard work and dedication, so just put your self out there, attend local arts community events meet new people, I’ve learned as much from talking to total strangers as I have from chatting to other creatives and equally just because someone offers you advice it doesn’t mean that they are right.

Don’t be put off there is no one way,  we all enjoy different things and you will always find people who love what you do as well as those who don’t, you will need to develop a thick skin, after all, we don’t all like the same things and when someone does connect it can make a big difference.

The arts community in the UK is vast and you will always find people who want to share and connect if your willing to do the same and the internet and social media provide many opportunities to connect with others.

Just keep on evolving and learning your never to old or too young to start, the hardest thing is not giving up when things seem hard. and if your only motivation is to make money then there are many other easier ways to do that.