1991, self-portrait with my friend from school.
In 2005 I received offers from IKEA, Laura Ashley and a Canadian Company to licence my art works, whilst I appreciated the opportunities of having works sold through global brands I did not feel my work was suitable for a commercial mass market. In 2005 I also received an offer of representation from Lumas Gallery in Berlin, I flew to Berlin to meet the founders, who were interesting, charming people. Lumas is an intriguing gallery, I admire what they were trying to achieve, working with them was a wonderful opportunity however at the time I felt it was not right for my work. In 2007/2008 I received an offer from The Hilton Hotel Group in America to supply prints of my artworks for their hotel rooms, I turned this down. I did not receive offers to supply prints for hotels in India. The commercial realities of being an artist and managing your work is tough, artists cannot always be particular about the galleries they work with and who they sell their work to. However, I humbly believe it's better to hold out for the right opportunity, develop your vision and have something meaningful to say rather than compromise on the quality and integrity of your work, though sometimes such idealism can be naive. This is why more must be done to support and encourage our artists and artist communities to grow and flourish, there should be more grants, artist programs and special tax concessions for artists and arts initiatives; artists enrich our communities creating a vibrant, tolerant, kinder, more socially and culturally responsible society (and hopefully a less hackable society.) we should do whatever we can to nurture and encourage them.
1998 - Adjunct lecturer at Sichuan University in Chengdu China
2000 - Barking College Photography Course
2000 - 2001- Postgraduate Diploma course for The Chartered Institute of Marketing.
2001 - Portrait Photography short course at Central Saint Martins
2001 - Photography short course at Central Saint Martins
2001 - Photography short course at Central Saint Martins
2002- Drawing short course Central Saint Martins
2001 - 2003 Msc Birkbeck College University of London
2003 - 2004 Postgraduate Certificate in Photography at Central Saint Martins, I attended all classes.
2004 - Central Saint Martins End of Year Art Show
2004 - IAF Art Fair at The Truman Brewery
2004 - Byard Art Gallery, Cambridge, Group Art Show
2004 - Affordable Art Fair London
2005 - Bloxham Gallery Wandsworth, Group Art Show
2005 - The Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, Group Art Show
2005 - Solo Art Exhibition at Lalique's show room in London
2006 - Part-time Research Fellowship at The University of London
2006 - Adjunct Lecturer at Westminster University teaching undergraduate students The Principals Of Marketing.
2007 - 2008 Curated, organised and hosted group art shows and salons for emerging artists in Tribeca New York. All proceeds from the sale of works sold went to the artists, artists who sold their works were paid directly by the collector.
2008 - Big Brothers Big Sisters New York Gala Fundraiser Committee member
2009 - Hosted a discussion panel and cocktail party at Cipriani's in New York with the Guggenheim Museum's YCC Committee.
2009 - Hosted an art party at Cipriani's rooftop in New York.
2009 - Hosted artist film screenings at Cipriani's New York
2017 - Silkscreen printing one day course in London.
2017 - Spent months working on a not-for-profit tshirt start up, the entire website along with all the content disappeared.
2019 - Spent months working on a not-for-profit tshirt start up, the entire website along with all the content disappeared for a second time.
2020 - 2026 Working on developing a design brand. The design series is still work in progress.
My next art project has been inspired by a missing toolkit and a ring made of wood, the ring disappeared in 2005 and the toolkit disappeared in 2003. Neither items were of high financial value yet it's confusing as to why someone would want to break into my house and steal them, all done with no signs of a break in. From 2003 to 2005 things were extremely stressful, I was having my house in North West London renovated, I was trying to convert the house into four flats. I had two flats and was trying to build two more. I hired a builder on the recommendation of a property developer my mother met at a party, he had worked with these builders and said they were very good. The builder took 5,000 pounds from me and did not carry out any of the works we agreed, he didn't do anything at all other a little bit of substandard plastering. When I threatened legal action against the builder the property developer (who recommended the builder) threatened me and threatened to burn my house down if I took legal action. I was terrified at the same time I don't like being bullied, my mother pressured me not to take any legal action, she was relentless. Furthermore, my planning permission for the flats that was supposed to take eight weeks according to planning law mysteriously took more than two years! I'm not sure if the property developer who threatened to burn my house down had a hand in this. Property developers are notorious for snapping up property cheaply from distressed sellers even if they are the one's who are causing the distress. Threatening to burn your house down, harm you and waiting two years for planning permission that should have taken eights weeks will probably make most people want to sell up. The residue trauma of those years still haunts me. My friend suggested a short break. Whilst on the break I was hit by a speeding station wagon whilst crossing the road. I went flying up in the air and landed on the small backpack I was carrying. The backpack broke my fall and saved my life as did my elbows. Before I landed I stuck my elbows out and they also broke my fall. I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance and had xrays, the doctors were astonished that I had not broken any bones or fractured anything. I was seriously bruised and in a dazed shock, where everything felt surreal. It took a while to get over this near death experience, every time I crossed the road I felt jumpy and anxious. A few years later I narrowly missed being crushed to death by a huge cement truck whilst crossing the road. After two near death experiences with road vehicles I'm reluctant to drive, I have an eerie feeling I'm going to be in a car crash one day so I just walk everywhere I can.
The point to all these musings is that though it is a hackened cliche, time is the ultimate healer, and so is art, this is why I'm a great believer in art therapy for people suffering from trauma especially children. It doesn't matter if the work you produce is good or bad, liked or disliked, appreciated or not appreciated, highbrow or low brow the point is that you are creating something for yourself that makes you feel better and work through and exorcise the trauma. (Of course having the love and encouragement and positive reinforcement of friends and family who have known you since you were a baby in bandages is helpful.) It is a type of self care. I recommend it to anyone especially children and those who have been bereaved. I lost my father at the tender age of ten, I have no brothers and sisters and no family in the country other than an uncle who I never saw after the death of my father. Like most little girls I utterly adored my father and felt bereft and abandoned after his death, I very much wish we had art therapy in 1984 when I was a lost and bewildered little ten year old, I would have found it most beneficial. I would encourage anyone who has suffered bereavement even if it's of your pet goldfish, to take up art therapy, it won't bring back your childhood, it won't bring back your childhood pet and it won't bring back the person you loved it will most certainly help you get over it.