Q: How did you transition from creating art privately to sharing it publicly? Was there a particular venue, platform, or opportunity that prompted you to take that leap?

A: The short story: I decided in mid-2024 that I was going to be an artist. As a career. And being an artist means sharing your work. The longer story: I started painting again after 30 years at the beginning of 2024 as I needed some art for my new living space. It was fun so when I saw an advert for an exhibition at a local school in April 2024 I decided to take part. I made up the names of 2 artworks for the submission. Then set about painting them. The exhibition was great experience and gave me a good start. I didn't sell anything but I hadn't expected to.

In May 2024, I submitted one of those artworks to the Crawley Summer exhibition jury and it was chosen! At the time, I had no idea how much of a big deal this was. I wasn't even on Instagram at this point. I'd also not done any other submissions. I then got busy with all the summer events so didn't paint much until my summer holiday in July 2024. It was on that holiday that I made the decision to follow a career in art. I researched for the whole week. Joining webinars, reading guides on Instagram, listening to podcasts, trawling the internet for ideas etc. By the end of my holiday, I'd set up the basics, including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and made a plan.

Over the next few months, I implemented the plan. I submitted to galleries, set up a website, joined art societies, attended a craft fair, set up an Etsy shop, sold work, took part in online exhibitions and lots more. I had so much success! I credit this in part to the fact that my day job has taught me about business. It was easy for me to be professional and understand what galleries were looking for. It seems backwards to have shown my work before deciding to be an artist. But it removed the need for me to make the leap to sharing my work publicly.

Q: How do you envision your practice evolving over the next few years in terms of medium, scale, or the themes you wish to tackle?

A: Over the next few years, I see my practice continuing to evolve both in terms of scale and subject. I love working on large canvas but the largest so far is 60x90cm which isn’t that big. I’d like to go bigger and see where that takes me. A larger canvas means I’m more physically immersed in the process, using my whole body to create. I’m also open to exploring new materials and textures that push the tactile quality of my paintings even further. I love working with acrylics, but I can imagine bringing in mixed media elements or experimenting with layering in new ways to deepen the sensory experience. In terms of themes, I feel drawn to keep exploring the emotional landscape of memory, place, and seasonal shifts.

Joy, resilience, and connection to the natural world continue to ground my work, but I sense a growing pull toward more personal storytelling and allowing that vulnerability to show up in the work. I want people to feel something important when they look at my paintings.

Q: Can you tell us about a time pitching your work, whether to a gallery, client, or brand that didn’t go quite as planned, and what you took away from it?

A: I pitched my work to a gallery shop that I thought was a good fit. Their style seemed similar to mine. It was colourful, a bit playful, well curated. I could really imagine my paintings there and even did a mock up of their window with my work. But they came back and said my work was too different from what they usually show. It threw me a bit. I thought we were on the same page. But I realised that even if something looks similar on the surface, it doesn’t mean it’s the right match underneath. And that’s fine. It reminded me that my work stands out. That’s not a problem. It just means I need to find the right spaces for my work.

Q: Which connection—mentor, peer, or collector—has fueled your practice the most, and how did that relationship or encounter shape where you are today?

A: It’s been the collectors who’ve fuelled my practice the most. Especially the ones who have connected with my work without knowing anything about me. That kind of response feels incredibly grounding and real. A moment that really stuck with me was at the Lloyd’s Art Exhibition in November 2024. It was the first proper art world exhibition I took part in and attended in person. One of my pieces sold in under an hour to someone who instantly fell in love with it. I didn’t know them at all, but they saw the painting, connected with it straight away, and just knew they had to have it.

That moment shifted something for me. I’d only recently started calling myself an artist, and it gave me this powerful sense of validation. It showed me that my work could speak for itself and reach people on its own terms. It gave me the confidence to keep going. It probably helped that the artwork was an abstract impression of the Lloyd’s building.

The building has always captivated me. I admire the concept behind its design: all the mechanical elements are situated on the exterior to enhance visibility and foster eye contact within the space. I worked in the Lloyd’s building from 2000 to 2003 and have frequently visited since as part of my career in the insurance industry. In my abstract work, the Lloyd’s building itself is represented in silver and blue, echoing the original colour of the building and reflections of the sky on the metallic surface. The background is bubblegum pink, a bold choice which contrasts against the corporate setting.

Q: What practical advice would you give emerging artists aiming to turn their creative practice into a sustainable, long-term career?

A: Firstly, it’s never too late to do anything, including starting a career as an artist. Be kind to yourself and trust your own pace. Building a sustainable, long-term creative practice takes time, and it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s version of success. Focus on showing up consistently. Keep making work, keep learning what lights you up, and allow your style and voice to evolve naturally. Apply to loads of opportunities. You’ll get a lot of rejections but the more you do the better chance you have.

Also, treat your practice like a business. Learn about pricing, marketing, and how to value your time and energy. It’s okay to ask for help or outsource the parts that drain you. And finally, protect your creative joy. Make space for play, rest, and inspiration outside of producing work for sale. That spark is what will carry you through the long haul.