About me

I've always loved art, craft and design, and I've always loved teaching too. Creativity has been a huge part of my life, and I've always believed that everyone is creative – sometimes they just need someone to help them discover it.

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After completing an Art Foundation course, I went on to study Costume Design and Making at the London College of Fashion before training as an Art teacher and gaining my PGCE in Art and Design at the University of Brighton. Since then, I've spent over 20 years teaching art and working with children and young people of all ages.

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For 16 years, I was Head of Art at a wonderful prep school, teaching children from Year 3 to Year 8. During that time, I organised whole-school Arts Weeks, led creative projects and worked alongside some brilliant artists. But more than anything, I loved seeing children grow in confidence and discover what they were capable of. Seeing a child surprise themselves with what they can achieve has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

 

As someone who is dyslexic, I know that every child learns differently. My own experiences have shaped the way I teach today, helping me create a calm, encouraging environment where children feel supported to learn at their own pace, celebrate their strengths and enjoy the creative process without worrying about getting things 'perfect'.

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Becoming a mum to two wonderful girls has given me an even greater appreciation of how important creativity is in childhood. I know how valuable it is for children to have time away from screens, space to slow down, use their imagination and experience the satisfaction of making something with their own hands.

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Starty Arty first began as an idea during the 2020 lockdown. While teaching more than 200 children online and looking after my two little girls, I bought the domain name with the dream of one day creating a place where children could discover the joy of art. That's where the name Starty Arty came from. I loved that "Starty" contains the words star, start, art and arty – a little reminder that every creative journey starts somewhere.

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Life was busy, so the dream had to wait for a while. But I never stopped thinking about it. Slowly, I built the website, created my art resources and kept adding ideas until the time finally felt right to bring Starty Arty to life.

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Today, Starty Arty offers weekly art classes, creative workshops and individual tuition in a warm, welcoming environment where children are encouraged to explore, experiment and enjoy being creative.

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Some of my favourite moments are seeing children encourage one another, share ideas and proudly show off what they've created at the end of a session. Those moments remind me exactly why I started Starty Arty.

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My hope is that every child leaves feeling proud of what they've created, excited to try something new and looking forward to coming back.

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Qualifications & Professional Memberships

• BA (Hons) Costume Design and Making

• PGCE Art and Design

• Over 20 years' teaching experience

• 16 years as Head of Art

• Enhanced DBS checked

• Member of The Tutors' Association

• Safeguarding trained