Learning for Artists
Through my whole working life I have always been both a teacher and a multidisciplinary artist and for the past few years I have been focusing more on the creative side of my practice.
More recently I have found that I am being asked to provide help and guidance by other artists who are interested in my work and my processes, so I’ve decided to offer a small selection of courses and creative coaching & mentoring options for you here.
It’s time to get teaching again.
Why Learn with Me?
I have been an artist since I was a child, always drawing or making things, so it was no surprise to anyone when I went to study and receive an honours degree from the prestigious Glasgow School of Art. After graduation I made the move into academia for many years, teaching visual subjects at universities and colleges whilst still developing my own art practice.
I moved up the higher education teaching ladder, from lecturer to senior lecturer to Head of School then, around the age of 35, and after 13 years teaching full time, I felt I needed to devote more time to my own creativity and began painting and printmaking full time.
I attended classes in classical life painting and drawing and was mentored by one of the great Glasgow painters, Alexandra Gardener, who encouraged a more expressive method of painting. Over a decade later, after mastering my craft, I felt wanted more from making art and in 2019 discovered American painter Nicholas Wilton. I took his inventive art course, the Creative Visual Path programme, where I was introduced to new concepts of thinking about and making paintings. I’ve continued this journey of discovery and my own self-led education saw me delve into the world of advanced colour theory, compositional techniques and working abstractly.
I never stopped teaching though. Whilst enjoying my own art practice I taught one-to-one sessions with other artists, I teach printmaking workshops at the Glasgow Print Studio and I have taught, and continue to teach, painting classes all over Scotland. I also give demonstrations in painting, drawing and printmaking, run mini-workshops and hold art critique sessions for groups such as local Art Clubs.
There are many great art educators, and there are many great artists, however very few people have the years of experience and practice of both as I do. I like to be approachable, open minded and encouraging in the way I work with my students and it gives me a feeling of pure joy when someone I am helping makes a breakthrough with their art making practice.
