meet the tutors

Who We Are

lisa stickley

Founder & Creative Director

Lisa Stickley is an award-winning designer, author and illustrator who started out life as a textile designer, training at Central Saint Martins and The Royal College of Art.

In 1999 she founded her label Lisa Stickley and sold some of her very first products to Paul Smith, Designers Guild and the Cross. Her distinctive work led to collaborations worldwide with Burberry, Harrods, Liberty, Tate, Selfridges, Heals, John Lewis, Boots and Japanese stores including Ships, Hankyu & Isetan.

Lisa took a break from business in 2015 to have two little girls who have sparked her passion for writing and illustrating stories for children.

Lisa has since had numerous books published, was nominated for the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Award in 2018 and her latest picture books include Bernard Makes A Splash! and The Wobbly Waitress published by the iconic TATE gallery.

Recently Lisa has collaborated with Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, and was privileged to create illustrations for two campaigns with England footballer Marcus Rashford + Aldi UK in raising awareness of Child Food Poverty and literacy.

These days you can find Lisa squirrelling away in her garden studio painting, drawing, writing and lesson planning (when she’s not busy hosting lots of our clubs). She delights in sharing her many years of experience with mini artists and thoroughly enjoys gathering inspiration, ideas & techniques to plot and plan projects for our art clubs, carefully formed, often with a twist, to encourage children to play and explore the wonderful world of creativity.

Don’t tell but she is also an obsessive mid-century children’s book collector and probably should get a grip, but most likely won’t.

sarah engerer

Founder & Director

Sarah is a CELTA, Cambridge, trained English Language, and Yoga Alliance Hatha Yoga teacher, who plays piano and Himalayan singing bowls, and is interested in all creative expression - from painting to words, music and dancing.

"I studied dance and art before training as an English Language teacher, teaching English to kids from all over the world. I was able to bring art and creativity into the language lessons which I loved. I also worked in my local bookshop. I then moved to London and into the corporate world, working with charities in governance and as a bid writer; then training as a yoga teacher in 2017. Since then, I've taught weekly classes in my local community. Combining my love for language, art, teaching and movement was my ambition and Art Palette, I think, it is the closest I've managed to get to realising this goal".

Sarah is a brilliant teacher who has that incredible knack of bringing calmness to a group of children and being able to hold their attention with the gentlest of voices. Sarah also has a penchant for a vintage children's book and, similar to Lisa, is obsessed and can't stop swooping up the inspiration!