I’m Going Back to School (And Why That Should Excite You Too)

Next year, I’m taking a step that’s been quietly tugging at me for a while — I’m heading back to school. Not full-time, not disappearing, not hitting pause on commissions or creative experiences… but committing to one long weekend each month on the Porthmeor Programme at the iconic St Ives School of Painting.

And honestly? I couldn’t be more excited.

For years, my work has been shaped by intuition, experimentation, and a deep love for texture and storytelling. But there’s a point in every artist’s journey where you feel the edge of what you know… and you feel yourself ready to step past it. That’s where I am now. This programme is a chance to stretch, challenge, disrupt, and surprise myself — to explore new materials, new processes, and new ways of seeing the ocean that has shaped everything I create.

I’m hungry for that evolution.

The beauty of the Porthmeor Programme is that it’s designed for artists who are already deep in their practice — it’s intensive, but it also allows me to keep running my business exactly as it is. Commissions will continue. The studio stays open. Experiences and launches stay firmly in motion. Your orders, your stories, and the pieces I’m creating for you aren’t going anywhere.

But behind the scenes? I’ll be giving myself permission to push hard into experimentation again.

I want to test new approaches that might deepen the sense of movement in my waves. I want to explore how different materials can shift the emotion of a painting. I want to be challenged by tutors who won’t let me fall back on what already works. And weaving all of that into my existing style — that’s the part I’m most excited about.

This isn’t about changing everything.
It’s about unlocking the next layer.

I’ve always believed that creativity thrives when we stay open, curious, and brave enough to begin again. Taking this step feels like exactly that — a recommitment to the craft, to exploration, and to the joy of learning. I can already feel how this will ripple through my work and the experiences I share with you next year.

If anything, this marks the start of an even richer chapter for my practice — and I can’t wait to bring you along with me.

Gem

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