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David and Ali Thistlethwaite moved to the South Cotswolds from Leicester in 1999, and immediately saw the possibility of rebuilding a dilapidated shed and stable as a small centre for art.

We first met in Cambridge in 1980, where David was researching in art theory, and Ali was teacher training, after a career in music therapy - these followed a music degree and a foundation year in art at Hertfordshire College. A shared love of art first drew us together, and has strengthened as we have had opportunities to develop in art separately and with each other.

Ali learnt watercolour from her father and grandfather and has painted flowers and landscape. In the last few years she has also been painting vibrant abstracts and and figurative paintings on spiritual themes.

David’s education in art has included, as well as a first in art history at Cambridge, five years (with much travel) in two Bond Street art dealing firms, and a part-time foundation year at the City and Guilds school of art in London.  Recently he has had training from the Russian artist Daud Akhriev in Italy.

David enjoys painting, teaching and writing about art equally. His art teaching is partly based on ideas worked out in his book ‘The art of God and the religions of Art’, published in 1998.

Ali in Studio, David in Italy (2005)