Heidi | Director

Heidi is the Founder and Director of Artisan Village. Holding a degree in Business Management and Childhood Studies, Heidi and her husband work in partnership to run a local childcare business alongside Artisan Village. Keeping the values of high quality, affordability and creativity at the core of their companies, Heidi is incredibly passionate about children and nurturing their creativity. As a family run business, Heidi is a mother of three boys who are inspired by what their parents have created and are preparing to be involved in the growing family business.

Artisan Village has developed organically over the years from a small art club into a creative hub for the Sydenham community. Throughout her life, Heidi has firmly held a belief in the power of creativity and art. She has nurtured and developed this belief, bringing it to fruition in the form of a creative, community business that brings joy and happiness to everyone who encounters it - showcasing the artistic talents within Sydenham. Heidi continuously looks for new ways to grow and expand the business and with a mindset of 'there is plenty of space in the sky for everyone to fly'! She views her strong team and family as supportive wings that help Artisan Village to fly to higher realms of creativity and joy - working together to make Artisan Village a calm, inclusive artistic hub for everyone in the community.

Pam | Manager + Artist Lead

Pam is a visual artist, lo-fi crafter and unapologetic clutterhound with years of experience planning and leading art workshops for children, teens and adults. She loves printing, drawing, sewing, papercutting and making pinatas. She prefers making things to buying new and repurposing things to pitching them out. She believes that everybody benefits from making art and that regular experimentation with materials and styles in a creative community setting is a fast path to joy, relaxation and empowerment.

Akiko | Artist

Akiko is an artist and designer who specialises in Japanese crafts and kimono making. Originally from Hiroshima, her passion to spread peace to the world through her creations is the core value of her creative journey. She loves playing with colours and different textures. Akiko believes all children are natural born artists and it is her hope to help children pursue their dreams through sharing the joy of making art.

Anya | Artist

Anya is currently a college student interested in a career in child psychology and bringing art into the psychology industry, to teach young people about the positive effects making art has on their mental health.

Anya’s hobbies outside of school include art and photography, and she particularly enjoys sketching whatever she can imagine. Anya is passionate about encouraging children to be creative and use their imagination to create wonderful pieces of work. 

Emma | Artist

Emma is a London born artist who studied at Glasgow School of Art. 

While she works to keep her observational drawing and painting muscle active, her art usually takes a crafty wonky turn with potato printing, sloppy stitching and hand built ceramics. She loves testing the potential of different materials and the challenge of learning a new craft.

Fun and community through art making is a key drive for her practice which is why she loves facilitating workshops!

Tai | Artist

Tai is a local artist who currently studies A level Maths and Art and Design at the BRIT School.

She favours drawing and sculpting , along with combining a bit of engineering with art.

Tai loves working with all the children, inspiring them to think outside the box and try new things. Developing skills and a passion for art guides Tai's teaching throughout the club.

Phoebe | Artist

Phoebe is an illustrator from South London. Alongside illustrating children's books, her work is often a celebration of the simple pleasures in life that bring joy. When Phoebe isn’t creating commissioned paintings and drawings, she is live drawing at workshops and events. Phoebe loves the immediacy of live drawing and strongly believes there are no "mistakes" made when creating art. 

Having had experience working with children for over 4 years, she is passionate about developing the confidence and individuality of each child. When not making art or facilitating a workshop, you can find Phoebe chasing her own toddler around!

Yan | Artist

Yan, a nomadic soul, spent her formative years navigating the vibrant landscapes of Southeast Asia before finding herself immersed in the eclectic art scene of London. Her artistic journey unfolded during her teenage years spent in art schools, leading her to pursue a Master's in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins.

From an early age, Yan was captivated by the kaleidoscope of colours and patterns found in oriental folk art and the rich tapestry of diverse cultures. This fascination with the magic of colours and patterns permeates her work, using mixed materials, found objects, collages, and papercutting.

Yan's creations are often celebrations of childhood wonder and magic, journey into the nostalgia of carefree times and innocence. When she isn't painting or collaging, she would be daydreaming or crafting poetry, and practicing yoga and meditation. She works with Chinese languages as well as tutoring.

However, she finds it's the hours spent with children making art to be the most enjoyable, as children are always the best uninhibitedly creative artists, and they are a boundless source of inspiration.