My artistic interests started when I was a hairdresser where we built boats, amongst other things, on customers’ heads out of hair. You had to be artistic or the customers went elsewhere. Later, I left hairdressing and set up my own business - Feymer Designs of Cheltenham began. Silver, gold and fashion jewellery was my basic product, but I branched out into tie-dye clothing.

‘Ethnic’ was the buzz word and ethnic I became. During this time I met a lot of talented artists who worked with different paints on metal and wood. A close friend could draw animals and convert them into stencils. I met a lot of designers who made waistcoats and hats and on the craft circuits met a lot of knitters who could make garments out of next to nothing.

Other craft friends included those who worked with cloisonné, decoupage, silk printing, fimo jewellery and art. My business, Feymer Designs sold out to shops and other traders. Eventually, however I was persuaded to go to college to study art, which I did for eighteen months. During this time I learned just what I could do with paint and canvas and I have been doing it ever since as arteaz.biz