In this week’s blog, we spoke to our new Café Gallery artist, Sarah Fenner, and asked what inspires her. Sarah’s experiments in art and nature are currently on show in our Café so our visitors can be surrounded by art as they enjoy coffee and cake. All of the pieces are for sale.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: What got you interested in art?  Have you taken any art classes?

Just a year ago I embarked on one of my greatest adventures: becoming an art student, a dream I had chased since I was 15 (35 years ago!) but with no real idea of what it would actually mean.

At the start of this journey we were sent out in the rain with a huge piece of paper and a pot of ink, no tools, and told to go and paint a tree! I painted my tree with a bluebell and I have never looked back.

Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your works?

I have always loved nature and being outside in the elements and its there now that I find all my inspiration but also my tools. Nature provides us with such joy and beauty I just want to work with it and show it off; let it speak on paper, whether it's freeing the juices of berries across the page or eco printing leaves.

What are you doing when you’re not creating?

In between collecting fallen leaves and make a painterly mess in my shed I have the immense priviledge of being a Community Artist with the Creative Minds Art network delivering art workshops aiming to make art accessible to all. I am passionate that others should have access and opportunity to discover art in all its guises and joyousness whether it’s pencil and paper; clay, pastel, felt or anything inbetween, alongside the motto “there is no such thing as a mistake in art.”

Sarah's works will be on display in The Lightbox Café Gallery from 26 May - 5 July 2015, all works on show will be available to buy.

Image credits: Emerald © Sarah Fenner, Frosty Windows © Sarah Fenner, Aurora © Sarah Fenner