The Tutors
Arts & Crafts and Leisure
Anna Bisset
Mixed media artist, Anna Bisset, has been an art tutor in East London for 25 years plus, working at Bedford House Community Association for the last 8. She studied originally at Bath Academy of Art in Corsham, Wiltshire, concentrating on painting, and continued her education at the University of East London, close to her Walthamstow home. She has several pieces of sculpture installed in public places, including “Figurehead for Docklands” in East London.
Now teaching drawing and painting, working in acrylics, oils, pastels and watercolours, Anna enjoys collaborating with students and other artists, often taking part in projects outside the classroom, such as the visit to Epping Forest Visitor Centre for an exhibition visit and drawing outside this year. Her classes are informative, supportive, and fun, and allows for a wide range of ability and experience. She starts the term with drawing in pencil and charcoal. She says: “As a group, we enjoy our art”.
Chris Green
Chris, originally from Suffolk, now based in London, is a full-time practicing artist specialising in drawing. Chris recently worked to commission in the Scottish Highlands (2023), exhibited in Celebrating the Coronation at Christie’s (2023) and has been selected for this year’s Trinity Buoy Wharf Drawing Prize (2024). He studied at the Royal Drawing School (2008) and Byam Shaw School of Art (2006). He can usually be found, sketchbook in hand on the foreshore of the Thames, or the fringes of Walthamstow Market.
Gwyneth Hibbett
Gwyneth Hibbett is a calligrapher who enjoys creating hand-lettered artwork. Her work illustrating and writing has been exhibited at several venues nationwide and published in various books. She holds the National Diploma in Calligraphy from the Calligraphy & Lettering Arts Society and is recognised as an Accredited Tutor. She graduated from the Advanced Training Scheme run by the Society of Scribes and Illuminators and is an active member of the South London Lettering Association and the Barnet Guild of Artists.
John Tookey
Intermediate and Advanced levels. John Tookey PS IEA was trained in Graphic Design and Fine Art at the Sir John Cass School of Art, London. John worked for many years as a graphic artist in several London advertising agencies before leaving in the 1980ies to take up painting full-time. John is an experienced tutor. He works in several mediums, but mainly in watercolour, oil and pastel and is famous for his dynamic bold watercolours that sparkle with light.
Lauraine Everitt
Rachel Tappin
After working in radio, and business management for more than 20 years, Rachel chose to turn her passion for horticulture and nature into a new career. Rachel leads gardening workshops with nature at their core, she is trained in permaculture* which is a design method that uses nature as inspiration. She has a Level 2 (City and Guild), Distinction, in the ‘Extended Certificate in Horticulture’ from OrganicLea. Rachel has trained in social therapeutic horticulture and is motivated by the therapeutic benefits of gardening. The majority of her work is focused at community-based settings; she works with and supports volunteers at various horticulture, well-being projects in North East London.
Sara Svati
Sara Svati is an Italian-born, London-based artist working across theatre, performance, and visual arts. She is the founder and director of Orientale Sarda, a performing arts company that seamlessly blends traditional and contemporary artistic visions. Educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, she furthered her knowledge with a Master's in Scenography and theatrical practices at the Royal Central School of Speech And Drama in London and at Comandini Theatre in Cesena. Her artworks, performances and installations have been showcased in diverse European locations, including Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK. She was the winner of the 'Best Emerging Scenographer' issued by the KIT Company in New York in 2014.
Tony Swann
Tony Swann, B.A. Hons in Fine Art (Painting) spent more than a decade in Advertising before deciding to change lifestyle. Now enjoying a simpler life painting and selling paintings, organising workshops and classes. Tony has exhibited in galleries as far afield as Ankara, Turkey, and the Mall Galleries, London. Recently joined the digital world on Instagram @tonyswannart.
Anne Daniels
Anne studied art as a second career, having been denied the opportunity at school, and enjoyed the challenge of acquiring visual skills, starting with local art classes then through all available university courses in Fine Art and Printmaking (from BA to Prof.Doc.). She began teaching at Bedford House as professional practice for her Professional Doctorate and discovered her enthusiasm for teaching art.
Esther Neslen
I teach ceramics and sculpture in clay to adults at Bedford House Community Association. I work with Bow Arts as an artist educator. With them I have just completed a two year clay project with Enfield primary schools, funded by ETSP and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Along with a cohort of teachers from two schools we created a programme inspired by the work of Dave the Potter, exploring identity, justice and clay. I also work with Forest Alliance Nursery Schools to develop groundbreaking programmes supporting creativity in early years education. I operate in diverse educational settings, gently pushing the boundaries of arts in education and I run independent workshops and projects too. You can see some of the results of these on my other website which isn’t specific to ceramics.
Jo Brunt
Katherine Poluck
Katherine Poluck, Designer and Botanical Illustrator, BA(Hons) dipSBA PGCE. Katherine is a local artist with a degree in Graphic Design/Illustration (Kingston University) Post Graduate Degree in Art and Design (Middlesex University) and experienced Art Teacher in Watercolours. She achieved a Diploma in Botanical Illustration 2011 with 'The Society of Botanical Artists' and exhibited at Westminster Central Hall in the prestigious Annual Exhibition in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Her portfolio contains Botanical Studies based on plants and insects, her work has been published in 'Forest Focus', Epping Forest (City of London). She undertakes private commissions and exhibits her work on a regular basis. (creativekatherine.co.uk)
Martin Chesterman
Rosemary Haslam
Stephen Keane
Stephen Keane, Master of Arts and B.A. (Hons) in Fine Art (Painting), is a London-based art tutor, artist, and curator with 30 years of experience in art and design. He has exhibited paintings and digital art in London and Europe. He teaches art privately, sharing his passion and inspiring creativity. He creates a supportive environment where students are encouraged to take risks and express themselves, instilling a lifelong love for art. Instagram @keaneartstudio
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