About

Hi.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

 

My name is Shona Phimister and I am an art teacher from East London. Growing up, I was always creative, always building things out of recycled objects and making my own toys such as a house for my dolls and a santa claus made out of boxes.

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I live with my beautiful girlfriend and daughter just outside London in Essex. I am passionate about young people's art and creativity and want to share that passion with others.

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I have been teaching in alternative education for over 13 years. Not everyone is meant for the classroom and I am definitely evidence of that. I managed to do well in school myself, but struggling with dyslexia made written work a real chore and even a painful experience at times.

 

Seeing those red lines all over my work every day was soul destroying and my undiagnosed ADHD at the time, meant that focussing in class was never my strong point. 

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I now work day to day with young people who struggle with education in their own way and I use my experiences to try to see past the behaviours and find that young persons spark.

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We all have a spark, but we haven't all found it.

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I have used art and craft throughout my life to bring a sense of calm. I'm a constant buzz of energy, with idea after idea. I'm great at starting new things, but getting to the end isn't so easy. I can't sit still, always jiggling in my seat and wondering around, like I have somewhere to go, but really I just can't chill. But art seems to settle me, gives me something to focus on.

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Why do I love to teach art?

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When I start working with people, they often say they can't draw, they can't paint, they just can't do it. I show people step by step how to create a piece and before you know it, that negativity turns into a little smile and I often hear people mutter under their breath “this is actually good”.

 

I love to bring that feeling out of people. I love to see those smiles and award grins as people show their work to other people and their almost certain that they are going to get a compliment and if they don't they don't even care, because they can see for themselves, that they have done it, they have created a masterpiece and they are only going to get better with time.

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Be Brave | Stand Out