As a kid, I spent most of my days hunting for paper. I would draw on anything - bank slips, paper, school books. Anything I could get my hands on.

Art was my "happy place" and I loved travelling into the city and spending hours sitting in the art galleries.

After I graduated with a bachelors degree in Fine Art, rather than commit to the idea of being a "struggling artist" I opted to study for a masters in Education with dreams of teaching in the week and creating all weekend.

The reality was much different and I spent all my time focused on helping my students progress and studying brain development.

Then when given the opportunity to move into senior management, I chose to take a break and try something new.

I spent a few years travelling the UK canal network, re-discovered my enjoyment of digital artwork and fell in love with watercolour.

One day, one of my followers on social media approached me. She really wanted to paint. But all the "beginner" lessons she found were over her head.

Not long after, the Art Skill Academy was born.

When I was 12 or 13, I entered a competition in my dad's newspaper and I was the lucky winner of a computer. And I often wonder if this hadn't happened, what would I have even done with my life!

It certainly was never going to be art... I always struggled with getting an image onto a page. At school, I could only copy or trace. And that isn't what "real artists" do...

Despite that, I've always loved stationary and looking at art supplies in the shops. I've spent hours with cross stitch and learning to knit.

Creativity comes in all different shapes and sizes. I've tried watercolour a few times and love playing with the colours. But my real love is woodwork and I spend my spare time making pens and bowls.