An eclectic and friendly group that meet throughout the term time at Churchill Academy and during summer months en plein air at various locations locally. We use many disciplines and encourage new knowledge and techniques when they can be found.

Having gained an M.A in 2008 and retired from teaching in 2015, Rachael has concentrated on her own work dealing with location and experience. “The Long Walk Home Series” is heavily decorative and influenced by stitch and aboriginal paintings, whilst “The Garden Series”reflects fleeting realism and horticultural experience. “The Narrative Series”deals with emotional responses to a location or incident often warped by memory and historical events. “We are all multi faceted individuals and my work continues to reflect this”.

David was a keen photographer both at school and at Leeds University, where he contributed to the weekly student newspaper. After graduating and subsequently getting his PhD in combustion science, he worked in industry and local government before joining the Open University as an academic. For the next few years, photography was neglected until he was given a Nikon D70 for his birthday in 2006. The love of making images was rekindled and he concentrated his spare time in developing his photographic work. He is now a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) specialising in Visual Art and he holds an EFIAP (Excellence, International Federation of Photographic Art). He was a Trustee and member of the Council of the RPS as well as Chair of its Education Committee. He Chaired the RPS Digital Imaging Group and has been editor of three of the RPS special interest Group magazines. David’s images have won over thirty awards in international salons and exhibitions and have been accepted in over thirty countries

A local tutor for 18 years, and with a background in Secondary Art teaching, Dawn uses her wealth of knowledge in her classes to teach a variety of media/themes/styles. She runs weekly classes and her very popular weekend painting days in Yatton, where practitioners can come for a delightful day to focus on the development of their style/skills and techniques with support and advice, and of course a magnificent lunch and cake! Dawn loves portraiture and seeks to capture moments in time, from unposed and often imperfect images. She uses the 'Zorn' palette; cadmium red, yellow ochre, white and Ivory black, and delights in the unbelievable breadth of colour variation that can be achieved. In her mixed media landscapes she uses texture and mark-making to explore light and mood.

Susannah lives close to the North Somerset coast and is inspired by its geological history and beautiful rock formations. Working with paint that she creates herself from soil and rocks, she literally paints the varied aspects of our Earth with earth.

I taught A-level art for nearly thirty years, once retired I started teaching adults oil painting. I enjoy life painting and portraits, and spend time in West Penwith painting the light on, and movement of the sea. I have recently started series of paintings looking at the beauty of the ancient landscape, and granite buildings.

After studying textile design for 4 years I worked in London designing knitwear, then needlepoint and rugs for magazines, before focusing on silk painting and glass work. My abstract silk paintings have themes drawn from nature combined with man made structures.

After many years working as a Fashion artist, designer and cutter in London and Paris I set up a Curtain Design Studio for an Interior Designer who had billionaire clients all round the world who wanted individual and elaborate curtains in their many homes. I was also sent to Kevin McCloud (of Grand Designs on TV) who was then teaching Paint Finishes so I was then sent to these exotic homes (e.g. Switzerland and India) to paint their interior walls with rag-rolling, stippling, sponging, stencilling etc. For some time I had been part of a painting group on a Monday at Barry Paine’s Studio in Chew Stoke which I much enjoyed so when in 1992 we had a recession and I wasn’t getting much work I went to UWE to study Fine Art. Since then I have exhibited widely including the Royal Academy and Mall Galleries in London. My work is in many private collections around the world, such as Japan, Jamaica and New Zealand. I am a member of the Bath Society of Artists and a founder member of the North Somerset Arts Week. I have been very fortunate indeed to have succeeded at something I can continue to enjoy.

Embroidery, textile and beadwork with a particularly interest in hand-embroidery and embellisher, felt & textile work. I am keen to try and develop new techniques and have been actively involved in a local textile and embroidery group for over 25 years. I have been taking part in NSAW for several years and was involved in a similar venture in West Wales

Trudi enjoys the challenge of painting changing and shifting light in all mediums. The paintings that result are illuminated by her love of working with many & varied subjects including nature, wildlife & seascapes. She has exhibited widely throughout the South West concentrating on all major Art Weeks & Trails. Trudi ran her own School of Art for over 12 years whilst living in North Somerset and continues to enjoy the interactivity with students of all ages and abilities. She trained as a colour therapist in 2006 finding this invaluable with both teaching & her own painting. Completed her training as an NLP Master Practitioner in 2012 becoming a Sue Stone Accredited Coach in January 2018, now helps students and clients on a one-to-one basis using ‘Healing Art’ & mindfulness. Trudi loves working with people helping them release their creative talent enjoy colour & find a passion in art & nature.

An artist whose main interest is in the landscape. Tina’s inspiration comes mostly from the Mendip Hills, where she has lived with her husband for nearly 30 years, and often involves working her way through lots of iPad photographs taken on her walks or through the window on car journeys. This has become an important part of her creative process. “Colour can be a distraction for me and so I work from the images to produce monochromatic drawings in charcoal or graphite. These materials help me achieve the wonderful contrasts of light and dark that I see in the landscape.” In recent years Tina has been exploring printmaking techniques, in particular monotypes, as a medium through which she is able to achieve the changing moods and contrasts of light and dark that she finds. Further afield nostalgic memories of holidays on Exmoor and the dramatic landscape of Dartmoor have inspired Tina to find a way of expressing those feelings. Given that drawing is at the heart of her creative practice yet wanting colour to play a part, Tina finds that mark-making with vibrant pastels allows her to do this in a manner that suits the way she likes to work. Tina has had work selected for, amongst others, the Friends of the Royal West of England Academy exhibitions in Bristol and the Bath Society of Artists Open Exhibitions. She runs regular art classes in her village and is a visiting art tutor to various local art groups. More information can be found on Tina’s website.

Professional potter since 2005, making distinctive handbuilt frostproof sculptured, planters and decorative items for gardens and interiors. Karen's ceramics combine her interests in texture, landscape and plants, from tiny pebbles to tall abstract forms. The colour palette is deliberately earthy and natural, to complement plants rather than compete with them. Clay surfaces are carved, inlaid, scraped, polished or impressed during the making stage to give interesting textures bich are then enhanced with oxide washes, slips (liquid clay) and glazes. Karen regularly exhibits her unique work in prestigious sculpture garden events and is happy to discuss commission or personalisation ideas. Her large studio at Barley Wood Walled Garden, Wrington, always has a display of finished pieces for sale and is open throughout the year by appointment.