espression - interactive art studio & cafć©
Kent
Welcome to our Espression Arts Family, make yourself at home whilst I pop the
kettle on. How are you today? Espression Arts is a creative community led by Me,
Catherine, the founder, the glue behind our special, arty enterprise. I live in
a small village partner to a very patient Daddy Jean who puts up with the hours
of work and energy we give to projects and our clients. I am Mummy to my two
beautiful children, Melodie 7, and Jerome 11, who are often with me on projects
and at events, along with Daisy Dog who sometimes comes along too! I grew up
with a creative and hard-working family, My dedication, work ethic, and focus
for things I believe in, I get from them. My Mum who now lives with Parkinson’s
in an annex in our garden spends her spare time when she isn’t bowling in the
village as one of Espression Arts many creative volunteers. If I am not working
I am found snuggling on the sofa watching films with a gin and tonic! Whilst
studying Visual Arts at Goldsmiths University London I enjoyed spending my spare
time getting to know the local community, working in pubs, and helping with play
schemes. Since then, I spent 25 years developing my community facilitation and
project management skills starting in youth work management working for an
environmental charity in Southeast London. In 2009 we left the big city and
started our Pottery Painting Community Journey in the historic town of
Canterbury, opening our interactive arts café. This is where our family grew
with everyone who loved pottery painting as much as we did! Sadly, the
interactive arts café, closed at the end of 2020 during the Covid19 Pandemic,
but we are still going strong! We continue sharing arts and wellbeing
experiences with others! Happily our Espression Arts Family is just getting
bigger and bigger as a result. In 2017, our family business became not for
profit and became a Social Enterprise which has helped us to take profits from
sales of our ceramic products, parties, and workshops, combined with successful
grant applications, and deliver some of the best community projects in Kent. I
am proud of our position in the local community feel respected for both business
and charitable, endeavours, before the pandemic we were awarded Kent Messenger
Best Creative Volunteer Project for both Canterbury and all of Kent, we were
even finalists for Kent Dementia Friendly Awards. We under-promise and
over-deliver with passion for people and give everyone the opportunity to
experience art. There are many ways you could support our creative family!
Community Arts In Kent If you would like us to chat with you more about what we
can deliver for your community, group, or organisation please get in touch, to
read more about the benefits of Arts and Wellbeing click here. Apply to be a
Creative Volunteer If you would like to become one of our creative family by
applying to become a Creative Volunteer we have many different roles which are
flexible to you, your interests, skills or needs, then please get in touch here.
Buy a Kit, a workshop, a party or invite us to your event! Have you heard the
saying that when someone buys from a small business the owner does a happy
dance? This also works for small social enterprise businesses like ours we want
to reach as many people with creativity as possible. We also want our volunteers
to have as many different experiences as possible! Contact
Catherine@espression.co.uk for more details or jump over to our shop!
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