Meet the artist
A few minutes with the artist and founder. - 5 minute read
Q: What made you take the leap in 2019, and when did you realise art wasn’t something you could leave behind?
For years I believed that “one day” I’d pick up my paintbrushes again. After studying Fine Art at University of the Arts Wimbledon, I packed my canvases into my mum’s loft and built a career in property. I kept waiting for the perfect moment—more stability, more security—before giving art my full attention. But the desire to paint never left; it was always there in the background of everything I did.
By 2019, a mix of frustration and clarity set in. I realised no one was going to give me permission, and the “right time” wasn’t going to appear on its own. I had to choose it. So I stopped waiting and just began. And once I did, everything started to align. It became clear that art wasn’t something I could leave behind—it was something I had to return to.
Q: What did the sea give you that the city couldn’t?
London gave me energy, ambition, and opportunity. But Whitstable gave me space. Space to think, to breathe, to create, and to reconnect with myself. The light is softer here, the rhythm is slower, and there’s a real sense of community. The sea has a way of putting everything into perspective. It became both a backdrop and a quiet source of inspiration for everything I make.
Q: How did Whitstable begin to shape the studio’s identity?
Whitstable isn’t just a location; it’s a feeling. There’s a warmth, a creativity, and a slightly eccentric charm to the town. That spirit naturally filtered into the work — the colours, the textures, the mood. The studio became a reflection of that environment, a place where art, fragrance, and everyday objects could exist together in a more relaxed, emotional way.
The Studio That Grew Unexpectedly
Q: Did you know the studio would become so meaningful to people?
Not at all. It was only meant to be a three-month pop-up, a small experiment to share my work in a physical space. But people kept coming back. They’d stay longer than planned, tell me stories about their homes, their memories, or why a piece spoke to them. It stopped feeling like a shop and started to feel like a shared space.
Q: How did it end up staying open for two years?
Purely because of the love and support from visitors and the town. That three-month pop-up turned into nearly two years. It became a creative sanctuary for me and, in many ways, for the people who walked through the door. It showed me that the work meant something beyond the objects themselves.
Living Beautifully by the Sea.
Q: To you, what does “living beautifully by the sea” really mean?
It’s not about perfection or aesthetics alone. It’s about living more intentionally. It’s morning light on a kitchen table, a candle burning in the background, art on the walls that means something to you. It’s noticing small moments and letting your home reflect the life you actually live.
Q: What comes next for the studio?
The physical space may have closed, but the spirit of it hasn’t gone anywhere. The plan is to open new spaces around the country and, one day, again in Whitstable — which will always be the heart of the brand. The studio will keep growing through collections, collaborations, stockists, and moments in beautiful spaces around the world. It was never an ending, just the beginning of a much bigger chapter.
