artist sue williams a'court

UK artist Sue Williams A'Court first made a name for herself as an illustrator. Her children's book Time for telling won the prestigious Smarties Award in 1991. (She has published seven of them.) Her art is in various collections in the UK - including at the V&A Museum - USA, Italy and France. Sue has also exhibited many times in London, where she lives with her family, and Paris.

Which five words best describe you? Positive, committed, philosophical, hands-on, open.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I had early success as a commercial illustrator with agents in London, New York, Paris and Japan. After having my little boy, work naturally developed into illustrating for children's books and painting from a studio in my London home. Now my focus is on painting and exhibiting full-time.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? I've learnt to follow my interests without judgement and accept that I may not know where it will lead. When I’m creating paintings it’s more about desire and will than fulfilling an objective. When I "disappear" into the creative process amazing things happen almost by themselves.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Working hard to get to the position I am in now: being able to paint full time from a fabulous studio. Most recently I've been selected for an online gallery called New Blood.

What’s been your best decision? Not moving house and focusing energy on painting instead.

Who inspires you? My studio is full of books by artists and philosophers - I’m inspired by certain talks on TED and by ideas discussed by present-day scientists and philosophers at School of Life.

What are you passionate about? My family; my husband Andy and my gorgeous 10-year-old son Finlay.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Ramana Maharshi

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To live longer than my mother; she died when she was 64.

What are you reading? Exile and the kingdom stories by Albert Camus

images courtesy of sue williams a'court