Developing my Creative Practice

In October 2024, I was delighted to receive support from Arts Council England through the Developing Your Creative Practice programme. This opportunity allowed me to invest time and energy into expanding my skills and my confidence.

I attended two creative courses at West Dean College where I was lucky enough to live for 10 days in beautiful surroundings with only creativity to focus on. I was encouraged to step beyond my comfort zone, particularly in how I approached my sketchbooks and canvases. It was an amazing place to immerse myself for 10 days exploring my creativity and gathering new ideas. I began to see how my sketchbooks could be more free and I could expand beyond them on to canvas.

Nature has always been important to me and during this time I deepened that connection. I explored new ways of expressing my relationship with the natural world through movement and mark-making. I spent several months in the studio developing new pieces. I gave myself permission to explore, to play and to grow. I focused particularly on expressive life drawing and translating that energy onto canvas. Moving from smaller works on paper to larger canvases felt important.

The body of work I’m developing represents a shift in my practice to more confidence, more expression and more connection to my own voice as an artist. I am incredibly grateful to Arts Council England for their support, which made this period of development possible. It has had a lasting impact on my practice, shaping the direction of my work and strengthening my commitment to continue evolving as an artist.