Having studied Glass and Silversmithing at Edinburgh College of Art and Design to successfully gain a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours, I ran my own business specialising in glass engraving and photography for a number of years until I had my children. Since then my love of creativity has grown and I have spent many hours happily experimenting with lots of different forms of art and design. The majority of my work is inspired by nature and the marine environment. I have become increasingly interested in the art of Silk Painting and the more time I spend working with this exciting medium the more fascinating it becomes as the vibrant colours and textures come to life. My silk art has led to an interest in illustration as the bright colours are naturally appealing to children. The use of coloured pencils has been the next natural progression for my illustration of The Magic Makers because I want to show children that they can express themselves in any medium that comes to hand and that you don't need expensive equipment to enjoy art. To be able to use my art to encourage children to explore not only nature, but their own creativity is a privilege and a joy.