So, I started looking at how to make it real and take it out of the living room and into the world.

For ages I had been telling creative friends that Manchester was where they needed to be. Thankfully my friends who were already there, and had been carving out their own creative worlds in Manchester for several years, gave me the kick up the arse to take my own advice.

I packed in my soul destroying office job and handed in the notice on my flat with nowhere in Manchester to live, to go self-employed as an artist in the middle of the pandemic- very sensible, a classic Rach move

When I first came to Manchester I submitted to loads of Open Calls, and began selling my work in the markets around Manchester which was a great way of networking, and building friendships with other traders.

I then started running workshops in Lancaster and after a few months I was very fortunate to find the beautiful space in The Village Hall that I run workshops from currently.

I’m also very lucky to be a member of Hot Bed Press, and have a beautiful shared studio space at Downtex Mill.