03Artist · Designer · Educator · Creative Thinker
Creativity is notsimply what I do.It is who I am.
Creativity has been the thread running through my life - from graphic design and international communications to education, art and creative leadership.
I began my creative career in South Africa, where I trained in Graphic Design. Since then, I have worked across design, communications and business with major organisations and internationally recognised names, including McKinsey, Marks & Spencer, Lloyd’s and De Beers.
One of the most memorable chapters of my career was the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, when, as Creative Director of a range of official publications, I had the extraordinary privilege of working alongside Nelson Mandela. That experience showed me how powerfully creativity and communication can connect people, shape identity and contribute to something much larger than ourselves.
My professional career later led me into education. I completed the Graduate Teacher Programme with distinction and gained Qualified Teacher Status. I also achieved progressive skills teacher and mentor recognition, and went on to build a substantial career in secondary education.
“My focus was always on creativity and its power to build confidence, independence and possibility.”
As a teacher, Head of Department and Sixth Form tutor, I led and taught across Art, Graphic Communication, Textiles, Ceramics, Design & Technology and Food Technology, working with students from age eleven through to A-Level.
Alongside my professional design and teaching experience, I undertook advanced university-level study in twentieth-century art history with The Open University, deepening my understanding of the artists, ideas and cultural movements that shaped modern art.
Today, CREATE brings those worlds together: professional creative experience, educational expertise, art and design, and a lifelong belief that creativity can transform the way people see themselves and what they are capable of.
01From the boardroom to the classroom
Bringing professionalcreative experienceinto education.
When I moved from design, communications and business into teaching, I brought my professional experience with me. I wanted young people to understand that creativity is not confined to an art room. It is central to design, technology, communication, innovation and problem-solving.
As Head of Department, I worked across Art, Graphic Communication, Textiles, Ceramics, Design & Technology and Food Technology. Although these disciplines use different materials and techniques, they are connected by the same creative process: curiosity, imagination, experimentation and the willingness to ask, ‘What if?’
For me, creative education was never simply about teaching someone how to draw, design or make. It was about helping them observe more closely, question assumptions, learn from mistakes, solve problems imaginatively and develop the confidence to trust their own ideas.
02Artist as well as educator
Creative practicematters.
Alongside teaching and business, I have continued to make art myself. That matters to the way I teach. I understand the uncertainty of a blank page, the frustration when an idea does not work and the satisfaction of discovering a way through.
03Why CREATE exists
Creativity ismuch biggerthan art.
It is a way of thinking, questioning, noticing and exploring. It gives us permission to experiment, make mistakes, solve problems, express ourselves and discover possibilities we did not know were there.
CREATE brings together everything I have learnt, taught and loved throughout my career. For young people, it is a place to develop creative confidence and independent thinking. For adults, it is an invitation to return to curiosity, learn properly and experience the absorbing pleasure of making something with your own hands and mind.
04My approach
A mistake isn’t the end.It’s information.
What happened? What could you change? What happens if you try again?
Creativity is not about knowing the answer before you begin. It is about being curious enough to find out.
Creativity can bedeveloped - and CREATEis a place to begin.
Let’s begin.
Whether you are looking for creative support for your child or teenager, or thinking about beginning again yourself, I would love to hear what you are looking for.