About Me
Mindful Art for Wellbeing
I make art to support people’s mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing by creating a deeper connection within themselves,
Witnessing the increasing prevalence of mental health issues during the lockdown, I began to look at the importance of our immediate home environment and the significance of creating a sanctuary. This reflection gave birth to Sanctuary Art Studios, my mission to help craft spaces that nurture happiness and well-being through my fine art photography. My mission is to provide mindful artwork in order to create healthy and happy spaces.
I recognise the profound impact that art, and photography in particular, can have on our emotions and the atmosphere of a space. From breathtaking landscapes to botanical, to abstract and conceptual, my photography collection has been chosen with wellbeing in mind. My art is informed by colour psychology, environmental psychology as well as traditional practices such as Feng Shui.
Through fine art photography—join me on journey of magical narratives, through an ethical and conscientious lens.
For every print we sell, we plant a fruit tree.
My Story
I have always loved taking photos. My whole family loved taking photos and my father and sister were rarely without their Olympus Zoom cameras. In fact I was gifted my first camera at the age of 11 by my elder sister and never looked back. It was not until much later in life however that I would learn that photography can also be an art form.
I lost my mother at an early age which meant that I became hugely sensitive and began to understand early on that life can be challenging. At the time of losing my mother, a creative energy was released and I began to write poetry and to this day, my photography has a poetic feel to it. Although it was at the age of 8 I discovered my creative source, it was not until much later that I would become an artist.
After completing my university education with a business degree, I ventured into the creative world of advertising. Working alongside many talented art directors and creatives, I was exposed to a melting pot of creativity in the business world. This experience ignited my passion for working in the creative industries.
At the age of 27, armed with my Olympus film camera, I embarked on an around-the-world adventure with a friend. One of the most transformative experiences was a trip to Borneo, where I stayed in the rainforest with indigenous communities. The natural beauty, untamed wilderness, and sense of remoteness left an indelible mark on my soul and sparked my enduring interest in the rainforest.
Upon returning to London, I resumed my career in advertising, working at prestigious agencies on flagship clients. Despite the fun and exciting life in London, my calling for exotic locations and art photography remained unanswered. A decade after my adventures, I made a life-altering decision and packed my bags to start an artist residency in Buenos Aires.
From Buenos Aires, my journey led me overland to Colombia. After a brief spell teaching English and art, I founded my own photography tour company, providing award-winning tours. At the same time I studied reiki healing and became a reiki master.
My photography work started to gain recognition in major travel publications and websites. I collaborated with local farmers, coffee and cacao producers, artists, and potters, combining cultural tours with birdwatching and nature walks. I developed close bonds with my local tour partners. I also started offering reiki healing to our guests and this was also hugely popular,
Unfortunately we had to close both businesses down due to the pandemic. At this stressful time a close family relative was diagnosed with a long term mental health condition.
This is when Sanctuary Art Studios was born. I began to sell some prints online to friends, and my first client, and best friend Faye said to me, ‘You are doing a wonderful thing, you are creating sanctuary when people need it most.’ My love of art photography and healing had just been consolidated in one phrase… and my dream was born, to help people create a happy and healthy space via art in their homes and workplaces. To support mental, emotional and spiritual health and to nurture your space.
A rare opportunity arose to document the lives of indigenous groups in the Caribbean region of Colombia, forging a lifetime bond that allows me to continue working with them as a photographer. This experience has produced some of the defining works of my career which you can see in the Dream Weaver section.