ARTWORKS
School of Art
Welcome to the ArtWorks School of Art!
On a typical day in the Artworks studio you will find every student immersed in their own unique project.
This is what makes Artworks special!
Fostering the creative journey of children as individuals is foundational to our ethos and has withstood the test of time.
Over 35 years ArtWorks has developed a reputation for sowing essential early seeds for the future successes of its alumni. Students have gone on to be artists, filmmakers, set designers, writers, university lecturers, cultural critics, illustrators, musicians, animators, fashion designers, architects, curators, museum directors and even the odd Turner Prize winner!
Our Approach
Our classes have an ‘art school’ feel about them. We foster an atmosphere of friendly curiosity where students are encouraged to inspire and be inspired by each other to try new things, nurturing a wonderful cross-fertilisation of ideas and processes.
We begin each term with a group starter project featuring a new technique in depth so that students have the opportunity to expand their knowledge base; this is a springboard for independently devised work. Students may choose to continue with their new skill, apply it in a different way… or something else entirely!
Subsequent projects are supported from conception to realisation by our outstanding tutors. This allows students to further advance the skills specific to their idea.
Our years of experience has shown that the project-to-project model, rather than more generalised teaching, is what sticks. Our one-on-one approach supports children to begin thinking like a practising artist at a young age, building the confidence, independent creative thinking and passion which are the essential foundations for excellence. This helps each child refine their abilities and develop their interests at a level appropriate to them as individuals.
We offer
Oil painting. Portraiture. Charcoal. Ink drawing. Bleach painting. Fashion and textiles. Print making. Model making. Plaster casting. Mixed media. Animation. Drawing from life. Wood carving. Stone sculpture. Felting. Clay. Mosaic. Weaving. And much much more.
Support with GCSE, A level, portfolios and scholarships
Our qualified teachers can support the GCSE and A-level syllabus. In the run up to exams we can offer an open studio arrangement so students can stay for longer than their usual lesson to get their final exam preparation done.
We have a large Art and Art History lending library and with an active interest in the History of Art.
We can give essay advice via email in between lessons to GCSE and A-level students.
Arts Award
We guide students through the Explorer, Bronze, Silver Arts, and Gold Awards - which are accredited Awards set up by the Arts Council and Trinity College.
ArtWorks runs after school, weekend and holiday classes. Please see COURSES for more information.
To contact us and for further information please see our CONTACTS and DIRECTIONS page.
The Team
JO ACTY
Jo Acty was born in Maidstone Kent, studied Fine Art at Maidstone Art College, Winchester School of Art, and Brookes University.
She started ArtWorks in 1989 and has been a freelance artist and teacher within the Oxfordshire area and Devon for over 35 years. She has worked in Schools (Nursery, Primary and Secondary), Museums. Hospitals, libraries, Nature Reserves, secure facilities, and with youth groups.
She loves teaching and sharing skills and is especially excited by materials. She works in a variety of media and works to commission and has exhibited in Oxford, London, and Devon. Her own work explores the theme of liminal and transient places and the link with our emotional landscape. https://www.instagram.com/joacty/
Jo is an Arts Award Adviser, (Arts Council Award Scheme)
HELEN EDWARDS
Helen Edwards was born in South Africa, grew up in several countries overseas as an ex-pat, and returned to the UK at the age of 15. She studied Fine Art (BA) at Brookes University, specializing in printmaking, performance Art, and Film. After gaining her PGCE in Secondary Art, Craft and Design she has taught in several schools in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Helen has 23 years of teaching experience, including Montessori Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Adult tuition and has been a tutor at ArtWorks for 15 years as well as being ArtWorks lead Advisor for the Arts Award . Helen also runs Life Drawing Classes.
Her work is primarily focused on culture, water and communication influenced by her transient childhood. Helen exhibits during Artweeks and other venues in and around Oxford.
JAYA MANSBERGER
Jaya was brought up in Hawaii, Nepal and Oxford. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and has exhibited her paintings in galleries in London and Oxford. Her work has been shortlisted for international art competitions and she has curated various exhibitions at the Old Fire Station gallery in Oxford. As well as developing her own painting Jaya has also worked in home education for young people on the autistic spectrum for several years, mainly using art and yoga therapeutically to help them realise their potential. She has also worked on creative projects with children in both school and community group settings. Jaya loves helping the students at ArtWorks to explore their own personal artistic vision and sharing her skills and knowledge of art with them. http://www.jayamansberger.co.uk/ Jaya is an Arts Award Advisor (Bronze and Silver)
ROSIE MCLEAN
Rosie McLean is a process-led artist based between Oxford and London who works with sculpture, costume and assemblage for installation, deconstructed lens-based media and image making.
She studied English Literature as an undergraduate at Edinburgh University, then worked in fashion and costume and ran her own small couture costume and lingerie venture predominantly using intricate beadwork for several years.
Her work has been supported nationally and internationally, including Scottish Sculpture Workshop (Aberdeen), Kunstraum Kreuzberg (Berlin), The Royal Academy (London), Red Gallery (London), Glastonbury Festival (Somerset), Modern Art Oxford, Ovada (Oxford), and Fusion Arts Oxford (Oxford).
She interested in the intersections of psychotherapy and creative pedagogy, and has delivered creative workshops for over a decade for organisations including Soho House (London), Turning Point Rehabilitation, Waterloo Community Counselling and Growing Solidarity (Reading).
ISABEL TAYLOR
We are very excited to have Isabel in our team! Details to follow ….
Past and visiting tutors
ROSIE BRANDON
Rosie is passionate about making her own art and sharing her love for art with the children she teaches. She studied Drawing and Painting, level 2, at Abingdon and Witney College and has a BA Hons Degree In Early Childhood Studies at Oxford Brookes University. Rosie has more than 15 years of experience as an Educator in a variety of roles including preschool supervisor, Forest School Leader, 1:1 support, Nanny, Scout Leader, and Nursery Nurse. Since joining the team at Artworks Rosie has found that the nurturing nature of the tuition, freedom of choice, and shared pleasure of creating art complement each other to make for an exceptionally good learning environment and a safe space for the young people to express themselves. Rosie is also an Arts Award advisor (Bronze and Silver). Rosie has founded an art centre combining her love of the Forest School and ArtWorks ethos called Renboga.
ALI MORETON
Ali is primarily an artist and skill sharer, her specialism is oil-painting, but she also enjoys printmaking, life drawing, film, and sculpture. Ali has worked as a designer/illustrator for an international charity.
Ali studied at Leeds University and The London College of Printing. She lived in Mozambique for two years, where she exhibited as an artist and worked with charities on art projects for young people. She has an Artist/teacher MA and is an Associate Artist at Magdalen Road Studios. She is also a qualified Arts Awards Adviser. (Bronze, Silver and Gold)
Ali paints landscapes and her particular research interest is the contrasting nature and perceptions of our landscapes and the emotional sensibilities and memories we bring to our creative responses.
DANIEL MCNABOE
Daniel was born in Oxford. He achieved a distinction in his Art Foundation at Abingdon and Witney College and went on to study illustration in Bristol.
In 2010 Daniel moved from Bristol to the coast of North Devon to work as a photo realist painting assistant for the artist Damien Hirst. Here Daniel gained a wealth of experience in many facets of the Art Industry with his primary focus being on painting artworks.
He left in 2016 to pursue his own practice. He exhibits in Oxford and London and often works on commissioned portraiture. Since joining Artworks he has really enjoyed imparting his love for painting and drawing with the students and seeing them progress. The art is in helping them to see whilst giving them the space and freedom to have confidence in their own creativity. http://danielmcnaboe.co.uk/
GRACE EXLEY
Grace Exley studied Fine Art at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford and has an MA from the Royal Drawing School in London. Grace loves to teach as she feels that it keeps her own practice fresh and inspired. She has exhibited her work many times in both group and solo shows.
KIERAN COX
Kieran Cox holds a BSc (Hons) Human Sciences from University College London, the course involved studying History of Medicine at the Wellcome Institute and Life Drawing at the Slade School of Fine Art. Kieran studied Foundation Art & Design at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College.
He developed his Fine Art and critical theory skills studying BA (Hons) Drawing at Camberwell College of Arts, London graduating in 2010. Kieran is an experienced picture framer and has also worked as a scenic artist for theatre productions in London's West End, the Almeida Theatre and at Shakespeare's the Globe. He regularly works as a contractor for Garsington Opera at Wormsley's site team on bespoke projects.
Kieran works in arts administration for an Oxford-based community arts charity.
SIMON ACTY
Simon Acty is an illustrator and designer with a further background in animation, fine art and film.
A graduate of Animation and computer visual effects from Falmouth University, Simon is experienced in various softwares and techniques for traditional/digital aided illustration and design.
When not teaching and working at Artworks Simon is a professional Illustrator and Concept Designer working in the media industry. https://www.simonacty.com/