Art, artists, and increasing access and reach to culture is my driving passion. With a background in arts administration and curation, I have had the pleasure of working with artists from all around the world, whilst profiling and championing a diverse range of artists and makers from across the region. I am also an artist.
I am a contemporary artist interested in the natural world, I make mixed media paintings. My passion and intention for DAN members is to facilitate good quality and exciting exhibiting opportunities for all.
The Teign Estuary outside my balcony, the salt air kisses my face, a woodburning stove at my feet. My fascination for faces, figures and abstractions just grows. In essence my work is a bit weird, but I like that.
I am an artist who works with fused glass. I love the therapeutic power of colour to soothe or excite and I chose the magical material of glass because it is such a dynamic and demanding material.
Gillian Taylor is a freelance PR and marketing consultant, working with arts and cultural organisations in SW England and nationally. She helps to raise profiles by telling compelling stories about the power of the arts. Gillian has also taken part in Devon Open Studios as an artist.
Kate Farmery is Head of Business at The Box Plymouth, working closely with the CEO and board to manage the organisation on a day-to-day basis, engage audiences and ensure financial sustainability. She was previously Chief Executive of Torbay Culture, overseeing the delivery of the Torbay Culture Plan and securing nearly £2m of external funding for culture in the Bay. She also worked at Manchester City Galleries for many years, including as Deputy Director to Maria Balshaw, now at Tate. Kate is a Devon Open Studios superfan, with a house full of art works thanks to her studio visits across the county.
Andrew spent his professional career in senior management and consultancy within the public, private and not for profit sectors throughout the UK. Most of his career has been spent working at Board level developing strategy, managing organisational development, finance, operations and people.
He has lived in Devon for 32 years and has previously been a Trustee/Non-executive Director of a number of Devon based charities in the fields of visual impairment, mental health and learning disability. His interests include art and social history, architecture and design, historic motorsport and classic cars. He is particularly interested in early 20th century British and European art, studio pottery and photography.
Sue is a practicing traditional printmaker living in Brixham. This followed her retirement in 2015 after 35 years working in local government cultural services across the south of England. Sue is passionate in helping with the continued development of the arts sector in the South West.
Allison McSparron-Edwards has lived in Paignton for the past five years and works as a full time oil painter and art instructor (especially portraiture and life drawing). Prior to that she worked mainly in London as a director for numerous creative agencies utilising her skills as a Chartered Accountant and a Business Psychologist.
Gill has a varied background in art education, having taught drawing, art, design and fibre craft for 18 years as an FE teacher and Lead Tutor. She qualified with ‘A’ Level Art and Design, BA, Australian Art History, and Fine Art University of Plymouth. She furthered her professional development with some of the best art schools in the country, including: London Fine Art Studios, Newlyn School of Art, Winslow Art Center, and Will Kemp Art School.
Originally from the north east, Sharon relocated to Devon from Hungary in August 2022. She studied Fine Art in Bristol and Sunderland and is a painter / printmaker. She was involved with and ran a small artists network in the north: Teesdale Artists Network, about 10 years ago. Passionate about arts for mental health she provided a weekly art group for MIND mental health charity in Darlington, County Durham. Her studio is based at Seale Hayne and she currently provides art sessions one day per week for Phoenix Bay School, an independent school providing support for children with emotional difficulties.