I came to painting relatively late in life and shyly, once the children outgrew bedtime stories and I gave myself permission to attend weekly classes.  I don’t have a formal art education, other than a GCSE in art, where I learned the fundamentals of drawing and other skills like batik and screen printing.  I loved the subject, and considered taking it at A-level, but, back then, the notion of a career in the arts was totally alien to me and my working-class family.  And, anyway, what 16 year old is qualified to map out a career path that will suit their future self?

Earlier experience includes a degree in International Management and French from Bath University, five years in management consulting, as well as practical and research roles for food and farming organisations. In 2016 I set up my other business ‘The Bookless Cook', sharing my passion for food culture by teaching people to think about cooking in a different way, relying on know-how, not recipes.