Best Creative Business

Wow. I can't believe it I have just picked up an award for the North East Women Entrepreneur of the year in the Best Creative Business category! The awards ceremony was hosted by Women into the Network at the Hilton Hotel in Gateshead. It was a glamorous evening dedicated to the North Easts leading female business women, I was in truly great company. It was a real honour to be short listed and a complete surprise to win this prestigious award and hope I can fly the flag as a role model to inspire other people to follow their dream and make a success of their creative practice.
I would like to say a few thanks to all the people who have inspired me and helped me on my journey so far.
Firstly to my husband Ross who four years ago told me to stop talking about it and told me to GET ON WITH IT! Sometimes you just need a push in the right direction.
To his parents for letting us use their loft, garage and spare bedroom as a storage facility for our stock and equipment.
Thanks to the Mushroom Works who provide me with a great studio space and to Lara for nominating me for this award. Also to Bethan my studio buddy for putting up with me on a daily basis!
When I started out as an artist I found it difficult to get exposure for my work with only a few galleries supporting me, so thanks to the Aln Gift Shop, The Smokehouse Gallery, Pebbles and The Design Room for taking a chance on my work.
Finally a big thanks to all my friends and family who relentlessly turn up to every exhibition to support me, especially Karina and her Mum (my biggest fan) who always seems to buy one of my new paintings!
Hopefully this is just the begining for us and the Wishart business.

The Arts Bank

Following the Newcastle / Gateshead Art Fair I have been invited to be one of the featured artists to exhibit in this new project in Saltburn. It will be my first exhibition of original art work for 2010.

A BOLD new £500,000-plus exhibition centre coming to Saltburn is set to be a major investment for arts and culture.An empty former bank at Milton Street is being transformed into the new arts exhibition space, called ArtsBank.
There will be five floors including film, fine art, photography and performance.
Extensive gallery space will feature visual media along with studios for local artists-in-residence.
The elegant Victorian building will also host live music, theatre, talks, poetry and classes.
The scheme was sparked by a chance meeting between Middlesbrough businessman Bryan Goodall and Saltburn film-maker Craig Hornby, of A Century in Stone fame.
Bryan, 60, of Nunthorpe, is financing the scheme. He said: "I've lived all my life in Teesside and wanted to get involved in something positive for the area. I was inspired by Craig's films having found them on YouTube. We got on a storm and soon started coming up with interesting ideas."
Craig, 42, of Saltburn, said: "Bryan liked my more recent films and wanted to get more projects off the ground.
"I suggested a space to show films as well as make them and also to exhibit local art and photography and put on events."
Within weeks, Bryan bought the bank.
Soon after, Bryan and Craig were joined by Paul Ingram, 52, of Brotton, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Ideas were expanded and plans for the first year of events and exhibitions were underway.
Paul said: "Something like this has been needed for decades in our area.
"There's a legacy of local talent that hasn't had the breaks or the backing and the public have missed out. We're going to change that and uncover local talent".
Craig said: "We'll have a landmark building with genuine commitment to the local area, people and culture.
"And with a comprehensive website, we'll be exporting to the world."ArtsBank will open in April 2010.