Welcome to the ArtWorks School of Art!

Established in 1989, we are an Independent teaching studio passionate about Art in all its forms and specialising in the tuition of Art to young people. We run classes from our light and well-stocked teaching space at Comper Foundation Stage School, Hertford Street, OX4 3AJ

Originally called St Mary And St John Infants School. The School was designed by Ninian Comper in 1902. More about the architecture of this listed Free Gothic style building here. We reside in the atmospheric hall with its high ceilings and generous windows flooding the space with light. Outside, there is a lovely big garden for 3D work or relaxing in during the warmer months. The area around the school is buzzing with independent shops and cafes, including our favourite fish emporium The Goldfish Bowl just around the corner on Magdalen St.

There are 2-hour parking bays in Hertford St. and surrounding roads (Magdalen St., Percy Street, and Catherine St.). We are the Iffley Road side of the LTN’s.

In the studio, students have access to a wide range of materials and processes and an extensive Art lending library. Each student is seen as an individual with tuition tailored to complement their specific interests. Classes have an art school feel about them, with everyone working on their own projects and inspiring each other to try new things, nurturing that wonderful cross-fertilisation of ideas and processes.

GCSE, A level and Portfolio advice.

We have qualified Art Teachers who can support the GCSE and A-level syllabus. In the Regular Classes pre exams there is the option of the Open Studio arrangement where students can stay for longer than their usual lesson to get their final exam preparation done.

We have a large Art and Art History lending library and with an active interest in the History of Art, we can give essay advice via email in between lessons to GCSE and A-level students.

Arts Award

Another way we promote the students’ individuality is by offering Explorer, Bronze, Silver Arts, and Gold Awards - an accredited Award set up by the Arts Council and Trinity College.

ArtWorks runs after school, weekend and holiday classes. Please see COURSES for more information.

To contact us and for further information please see our CONTACTS and DIRECTIONS page.

The Team

JO ACTY

Jo Acty was born in Maidstone Kent, studied Fine Art at Maidstone Art College, Winchester School of Art, and Brookes University.

She started ArtWorks in 1989 and has been a freelance artist and teacher within the Oxfordshire area and Devon for over 35 years. She has worked in Schools (Nursery, Primary and Secondary), Museums. Hospitals, libraries, Nature Reserves, secure facilities, and with youth groups.

She loves teaching and sharing skills and is especially excited by materials. She works in a variety of media and works to commission and has exhibited in Oxford, London, and Devon.  Her own work explores the theme of liminal and transient places and the link with our emotional landscape. https://www.instagram.com/joacty/

Jo is an Arts Award Adviser, (Arts Council Award Scheme)

HELEN EDWARDS

Helen Edwards was born in South Africa, grew up in several countries overseas as an ex-pat, and returned to the UK at the age of 15. She studied Fine Art (BA) at Brookes University, specializing in printmaking, performance Art, and Film. After gaining her PGCE in Secondary Art, Craft and Design she has taught in several schools in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Helen has 23 years of teaching experience, including Montessori Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Adult tuition and has been a tutor at ArtWorks for 15 years as well as being ArtWorks lead Advisor for the Arts Award . Helen also runs Life Drawing Classes.

Her work is primarily focused on culture, water and communication influenced by her transient childhood. Helen exhibits during Artweeks and other venues in and around Oxford.

JAYA MANSBERGER

Jaya was brought up in Hawaii, Nepal and Oxford. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art and has exhibited her paintings in galleries in London and Oxford. Her work has been shortlisted for international art competitions and she has curated various exhibitions at the Old Fire Station gallery in Oxford. As well as developing her own painting Jaya has also worked in home education for young people on the autistic spectrum for several years, mainly using art and yoga therapeutically to help them realise their potential. She has also worked on creative projects with children in both school and community group settings. Jaya loves helping the students at ArtWorks to explore their own personal artistic vision and sharing her skills and knowledge of art with them. http://www.jayamansberger.co.uk/ Jaya is an Arts Award Advisor (Bronze and Silver)

ROSIE MCLEAN

Rosie is an interdisciplinary artist combining elements of beadwork, textiles, sculpture, luminism, wearable art, film, photography, and performance. 

She studied English Literature (MA) at Edinburgh University. She also ran a small couture costume and lingerie venture predominantly using intricate beadwork which she ran for several years.

Her work is concerned with how we relate to ourselves, other beings, and the universe. She makes use of craft and transpersonal practices to make connections and build narratives and worlds as a form of personal therapy, often working with beads, threads, found objects, and material derived from dreamwork, automatic writing, and drawing. 

She works as a childminder, and tutor at OVADA (Oxford Visual Arts Development Agency) and Artworks. Increasingly she is interested in creative pedagogy and inclusive ways of educating and organizing.

www.rosiemclean.co.uk,

Past and visiting tutors

ROSIE BRANDON

Rosie is passionate about making her own art and sharing her love for art with the children she teaches. She studied Drawing and Painting, level 2, at Abingdon and Witney College and has a BA Hons Degree In Early Childhood Studies at Oxford Brookes University. Rosie has more than 15 years of experience as an Educator in a variety of roles including preschool supervisor, Forest School Leader, 1:1 support, Nanny, Scout Leader, and Nursery Nurse. Since joining the team at Artworks Rosie has found that the nurturing nature of the tuition, freedom of choice, and shared pleasure of creating art complement each other to make for an exceptionally good learning environment and a safe space for the young people to express themselves. Rosie is also an Arts Award advisor (Bronze and Silver). Rosie has founded an art centre combining her love of the Forest School and ArtWorks ethos called Renboga.

ALI MORETON

Ali is primarily an artist and skill sharer, her specialism is oil-painting but she also enjoys printmaking, life drawing, film and sculpture. Ali has worked as a designer/illustrator for an international charity and more recently as a primary school art specialist and A level art tutor. She enjoys teaching all levels and age groups and has been involved with Artworks as a tutor for many years.

Ali studied at Leeds University and The London College of Printing. She lived in Mozambique for two years, where she exhibited as an artist and worked with charities on art projects for young people. She recently completed an MA and is an Associate Artist at Magdalen Road Studios. She is also a qualified Arts Awards Adviser. (Bronze, Silver and Gold)

 Ali paints landscapes and her particular research interest is the contrasting nature and perceptions of our landscapes and the emotional sensibilities and memories we bring to our creative responses.

DANIEL MCNABOE

Daniel was born in Oxford.  He achieved a distinction in his Art Foundation at Abingdon and Witney College and went on to study illustration in Bristol.

 In 2010 Daniel moved from Bristol to the coast of North Devon to work as a photo realist painting assistant for the artist Damien Hirst. Here Daniel gained a wealth of experience in many facets of the Art Industry with his primary focus being on painting artworks.

He left in 2016 to pursue his own practice. He exhibits in Oxford and London and often works on commissioned portraiture. Since joining Artworks he has really enjoyed imparting his love for painting and drawing with the students and seeing them progress. The art is in helping them to see whilst giving them the space and freedom to have confidence in their own creativity. http://danielmcnaboe.co.uk/

GRACE EXLEY

Grace Exley studied Fine Art at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford and has an MA from the Royal Drawing School in London. Her daughter, Berry, attended SS Mary & John, where ArtWorks is based. Grace loves to teach as she feels that it keeps her own practice fresh and inspired. She has exhibited her work many times in both group and solo shows.

KIERAN COX

Kieran Cox holds a BSc (Hons) Human Sciences from University College London, the course involved studying History of Medicine at the Wellcome Institute and Life Drawing at the Slade School of Fine Art. Kieran studied Foundation Art & Design at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College. 

He developed his Fine Art and critical theory skills studying BA (Hons) Drawing at Camberwell College of Arts, London graduating in 2010.  Kieran is an experienced picture framer and has also worked as a scenic artist for theatre productions in London's West End, the Almeida Theatre and at Shakespeare's the Globe. He regularly works as a contractor for Garsington Opera at Wormsley's site team on bespoke projects. 

When not teaching at Artworks Kieran works in arts administration for an Oxford-based community arts charity.

 SIMON ACTY

Simon Acty is an illustrator and designer with a further background in animation, fine art and film.

A graduate of Animation and computer visual effects from Falmouth University, Simon is experienced in various softwares and techniques for traditional/digital aided illustration and design.

When not teaching and working at Artworks Simon is a professional Illustrator and Concept Designer working in the media industry. https://www.simonacty.com/