Coaching · Facilitation · Learning · Curation
People, creative practices and organisations are rarely linear. Neither has my career been.
I am an artist, curator, coach, facilitator, learning designer, business owner and independent practitioner. My experience spans creative practice, craft, learning, business development, leadership, organisational development, research and programme design.
It allows me to hold complexity, listen from different perspectives, notice connections and bring things into view that might otherwise be missed.
It also gives me a rich foundation to draw upon. I can bring knowledge, experience and structure when they are useful, while remaining curious and open to what I hear.
Working independently matters to me too. It gives me the freedom to collaborate directly with the people and organisations I work with, without needing to fit the situation into an existing programme or predetermined model.
The approach should fit the people, purpose and context, not the other way around.
More about me →There is always something to learn.
About ourselves. About each other. About the situation in front of us.
It was the first time that we gave space to think, listen and reflect together which was really powerful for us in connecting. Your input was so measured, being both assertive and so amenable.
Rob Fairbanks
Surrey Hills National Landscape Director, outcome of Time to Think training
Learning can reveal what needs to change, but it can also help us recognise what is already working, how far we have come and what is worth protecting.
I believe people do their best thinking when there is a clear and relevant purpose; when they feel valued, listened to and respected; when different perspectives are welcomed; and when they have the time and confidence to think.
For teams, that means creating greater equity in the conversation, reducing hierarchy and recognising the knowledge and capability in each other.
Learning and change aren't linear. People learn differently. Organisations move at different paces. And meaningful progress can begin with a surprisingly small shift.
Whenever I'm confused about how to move forward with an aspect of my design business, I contact Caroline.
She listens, asks the right questions and helps me bring clarity to whatever it is I need help with at that time. I leave each session with a eureka moment which enables me to and take a step forward. It's a bonus that she makes the whole process enjoyable and relaxed.
We've been working together now for a few years. As a business develops and new challenges arise, it's natural to find yourself with new stumbling blocks. And when these occur, I return to Caroline. Basically, I'm a bit of a fan.
Lee Simmons
Visual Identity Design
For me, creativity is curiosity in action.
It is the bravery to question, explore possibilities, make connections, solve problems and imagine different ways forward.
It is also having the confidence to recognise when something already works and doesn't need changing for change's sake.
Creativity enables us to see from different perspectives. It is present in how we think, learn, work together and respond to the world around us.
Curiosity makes us ask. Openness allows us to listen. Generosity shapes how we respond. Noticing helps us see what matters. Conversation allows thinking to develop.
An art tutor once encouraged me to "follow life with curiosity."
Nearly 30 years later, I still do.
Start a conversation →That commitment also shapes the roles I take beyond my own practice, including as Trustee of New Ashgate Gallery, Director of the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, Mentor for Arts Emergency and Adviser to the Radcliffe Trust.