meet the tutors

Our wonderful ART Palettiers

francesca jennings

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello, I'm Fran, I love bookshops and drawing, sea dips and night skies. I love slurping coffee with my face in the sun.

What’s your favourite colour? Sunlight.

Who is your favourite artist? Picasso.

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child? Animals.

What’s your favourite smell? Roses in bloom.

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you?

"It's a piece of macaroni wearing a party hat!"

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit?

Anzac cookie.

lorraine parry

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi! I'm Lorraine and I'm an editor.

I love long walks, beach combing, pottering in my garden and hunting for vintage ceramics.

What’s your favourite colour?

Grass green

Who is your favourite artist?

Helen Frankenthaler and Martin Parr

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child?

Houses

What’s your favourite smell?

Fresh coffee grounds

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you?

“It's John Lemon”

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit?

Shortbread

jess alexander

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello! I'm Jess, I make art for films, TV programmes, books, magazines or just for fun! I love dancing around the living room, ladybirds, drinking tea in bed and making .

What’s your favourite colour? Faded fluorescent salmon.

Who is your favourite artist? Keith Haring.

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child? Fancy dress costume designs.

What’s your favourite smell? A rainy garden.

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you? Father Christmas is God's boyfriend!

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit? Tunnock's teacakes all the way.

caroline malbon

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi, I'm Caroline, I love seeing colours having fun with each other. I'm always creating interesting interior palettes and I love to make colour POP in my garden.

My favourite colour is YellowCake by Farrow & Ball.

My favourite artist is David Shrigley

My favourite thing to draw as a child was a bunny rabbit.

My favourite smell is freshly cut grass.

Best thing a mini artist said to me was " I love coming here. "

My favourite biscuit is a cheese oatcake.

vivienne harvey

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi I’m Vivienne.

I love being outside, especially riding my bike in a forest and early morning coffees in the sunshine.

Having worked in schools for over ten years, it makes me so happy to give children space where they are encouraged to be comfortable being themselves and can explore their creativity freely.

Favourite colour I love pink, from pastel tones to the vibrant pop of neon.

Favourite artists David Hockney, Aline Gaiad

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child houses

Favourite smell forest pine and lavender

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you "I’ve been to art club 65 times…I’m so good at this!”

And finally, what’s your favourite biscuit…who remembers an Abbey Crunch? Sadly no longer in existence, but nothing beats them!

sinead fox

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello, I'm Sinéad, I love painting, making collages and eating strawberries & olives but not at the same time.

My favourite colour is bluebird skies (a fancy pants way of saying blue)
My favourite artist is Matisse but the first illustrator to inspire me was Dick Bruna. His pictures make me just as happy now as they did when I was little.
When I was little I would draw on anything I could find. I got in trouble for drawing stars on the wall when I was meant to be getting ready for school.
My favourite smells (I have more than one) are coffee and roses.
Mini artists are the best artists. The best thing a mini artist has said to me is that making pictures makes them feel happy. I agree.
What's your favourite biscuit? That's a tricky question. I think one with more chocolate than biscuit!

Natacha Bisarre

ART Palettier, Club Host

I’m Natacha, I love dancing and singing in the kitchen, but laughing with friends is my most favourite thing to do ever! I think the most important things to live by are always doing your best, working hard and being very silly all at the same time.

What’s your favourite colour? Pantone “Living Coral"

Who is your favourite artist? Cy Twombly

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child? Anything as long as it was drawn in blue and pink felt tip together. So much Joy!!!

What’s your favourite smell? Fresh lavender flower rubbed in my hand

Whats the best thing a mini artist has said to you? When my youngest was 5 years old I showed him one of my artworks and he said “Did you make a mistake?”.

And finally, most importantly;

What’s your favourite biscuit? Ginger Snaps

anya khandelwal

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi! I’m Anya, and I love drawing (of course). My expertise lies in baking cookies and reading as many books as I can manage!

My favourite colour is Summer Berry Red.

Favourite artist has to be Sikelela Owen &

I loved to draw pandas when I was younger.

Fresh baked bread as the best smell.

So many great things that mini artists have said to me but to take the cake it has to be ‘I’ve drawn an ice-cream shop which sells pizza made by aliens!’

Best biscuit is a Maryland of course.

bernie cabut

ART Palettier, Assistant

Hi there, I’m Bernie. I am a recent University graduate, working in a south london school as a Teaching Assistant. I enjoy reading, writing, going on long walks and basking in the sun.

What’s your favourite colour?

Purple, very underrated!

Who is your favourite artist?

I have whittled down my list to some favourites... Cindy Sherman's photography. Cookie Mueller's writing. Patti Smith's music/poetry.

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child?

Everything and anything, a lot of different characters to bring into my games.

What’s your favourite smell?

Something clean smelling. I love lavender or any essential oils!

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you?

They're so creative, they receive a prompt and then they're off! I love hearing descriptions of their art and the imaginary worlds being created.

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit?

Dark chocolate digestives.

sri mckinnon

ART Palettier, Assistant

Hey! My name is Sri and i’m an artist and illustrator.

When i’m not guzzling tea, i love walks in nature, tending to my houseplants and throwing shapes on the dance floor.

I’m passionate about championing creativity and love to see mini artists explore and bloom into their full potential.

What’s your favourite colour? Tropical Ocean Turquoise

Who is your favourite artist? Mode 2 (an amazing graffiti artist)

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child? Anything inspired by fantasy or fairy tales

What’s your favourite smell? It's a tie between the heavenly scent of pine trees and fresh jasmine flowers

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you? “I want to be an artist when i grow up”

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit? Ooh! I love a melty dark chocolate digestive i do :)

yan wong

ART Palettier, Club Host

Yan carries the bright spirit of Southeast Asian markets in her heart, weaving childhood memories into her London studio (honed through her Fine Art studies at Central Saint Martins) where paper, paint, and found treasures transform into precious joys.

What’s your favourite colour?

Emerald green… and the happiest apple-green on those tiniest frogs.

Who is your favourite artist?

Joan Miró, Paul Klee, and Marie Laurencin.

(But really, anyone who paints what they feel, not just what they see.)

What was your favourite thing you liked to draw as a child?

Secret magical forests and their inhabitants!

What’s your favourite smell?

Perfumed rose, water lilies, and sandalwood.

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you?

“I can’t wait to make more!!”

And finally, what’s your favourite biscuit?

Does mochi count?

dominique salvage

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello, I'm Dominique, I am a professional nanny (I've worked with children for 14 years starting in nurseries and SEN schools)

I love creative art (bold colours and different textures) and sensory exhibitions.

Another way I enjoy expressing art is through cooking, especially if children are involved.

My favourite colours are Black and Gold.

The artist I most admire is Earnie Barnes.

When I was a child I loved drawing animated animals

My favourite scent is Vanilla

The best thing a mini artist has said to me is "I love it here"

The best biscuit has to be the Chocolate digestive

joseph hale-proudley

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi I’m Joe. I’m taking a year off and am enjoying work in teaching, whether that be cricket coaching or working as a TA in primary schools. I love painting with watercolours, long walks and sunsets, all with my headphones in.

What’s your favourite colour? Burgundy

Who is your favourite artist? Either Monet or Steven Wiltshire

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child? Animals (especially lions/tigers)

What’s your favourite smell? Got to be food, probably a curry.

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you? I like surrealism!

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit? Chocolate Hobnob

mark downes

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello! I’m Mark and I make films.

I also love doing crosswords in the morning, doodling contraptions, the smell of moss deep in the forest and recently I started growing vegetables.

Favourite Colour : Sunsets in the west of Ireland

Favourite Artist : Miro

What did I draw as child? Farm houses and barns and animals with mountains in the background

Favourite smell: freshly dug soil

Mini artist comment “It’s supposed to have three heads

Biscuit: Home made cookies

ella garner

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello, I’m Ella and I love painting, especially buildings and urban areas.

Sewing is another one of my favourite hobbies, I spend most of my spare time sewing clothes. A sudoku is also my favourite way to start my morning.

Favourite colour- maroon

Favourite artist - I love Aubrey Beardsley; I have some prints of her work on my wall! Frederick Brocktorff also created some amazing paintings.

What did I draw as a child? - nature, lots of leave and flowers

Favourite smell - floral scents, especially lavender

Mini artist comment - "This guy is a billion trillion years old and eats cheese"

Biscuit - definitely a chocolate hobnob

sam hayward

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi, I'm Sam. I'm a screenwriter and former musician from Lancashire. I love creating with friends, listening to spooky podcasts and watching the birds on my bird feeder. When I'm not writing, I work as a dog sitter, even though I maintain that I don't really like dogs (cats forever).

What’s your favourite colour? Blue.

Who is your favourite artist? David Hockney.

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child? Cats.

What’s your favourite smell? Coffee.

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you? "That's a picture of you crying at her grave."

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit? Shortbread.

calesta ng

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hi I am Calesta, I am an illustrator and doing different side quests has always been my passion. I specialize in turning random objects into characters and putting in narratives to create stories, and of course illustrating them out.

What’s your favourite colour?

Teal !!!

Who is your favourite artist?

Oliver Jeffers and Little Thunder are always my favourite artists

What was the favourite thing you liked to draw as a child?

Weirdly I love drawing monsters with super big eyes.

What’s your favourite smell?

Fig and bergamot

What’s the best thing a mini artist has said to you?

Dried flower petals look like nails.

And finally, most importantly, what’s your favourite biscuit?

Biscoff with vanilla fillings ;)))

shula rushglew

ART Palettier, Club Host

Hello, I'm Shula, I am a fine artist,an obsessive crocheter and couch dweller (the two go very well together) but I also love using my free time to go on hikes in nature and go to big loud music gigs so I can shake my arms and legs! It is also my firm belief that the world would be a much less happy place if chocolate, cheese and garlic didn't exist.

Favourite colour: sunflower yellow, because it's such a happy colour!

Favourite artist: Leonora Carrington, she has inspired my own surrealist art practice for many years.

Favourite thing I liked to draw as a child: animals but mainly cats as I had a book on all the different breeds, and also aliens who could talk out of their bottom!

Favourite smell: anything apple and cinnamon/cinnamon spice.

The best thing a mini artist has said to me: "don't worry if you can't fix it, because I'm an expert at fixing these things."

Favourite biscuit: good ol' fashioned milk chocolate digestive (although take any biscuit and drench it in chocolate and I'm happy).