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Onsite Initiatives, Artists & Educators

‘Beautiful grounds full of creativity, activity and poetic surprises’

Creativity and nature often dance together hand-in-hand.  Emerson has attracts many artists, poets, storytellers, performers and people wanting find their voice and explore their creativity.

Our Education Partners and Resident Artists work deeply with nature and benefiting from and contributing to the essential creativity of this place.  We encourage you to wonder around our 22 acre estate, explore our gardens, sit by our with ponds, walk in our small woodland (full of bluebells in spring) and enjoy the many sculptures and flow forms created by our students.

At any time you will find artists in residence working in our studios, regular storytelling performances and many other events and activities to enjoy.

Education Partners

Hillside Pottery School

Nose-To-Nose

Research In Spiritual Science

Sacred Art Of Geometry

School Of Storytelling

The Healing Garden

Resident Artists

Jonathan Soper

Jonathan creates Carved Stained Glass Windows are made from thick coloured glass.

They are carved into with a grinder, and this makes light areas of colour. It also brings about a relief effect on the surface of the glass, which produces highlights and darknesses,which change beautifully as you pass by the window. It is a wonderfully subtle medium, bringing interesting colour effects to the room.

His work can be seen throughout Emerson College.

Richard Heys

Richard works with with print-making tools, silicone tools, brushes and bespoke squeegees exploring the ethereal nature of colour and the physical qualities of paint.

‘For the past few years I have worked in a light-filled studio in Sussex, an acorn’s throw from the Ashdown Forest. I strive to bring presence into painting, to open up a soul space allowing the viewer to breath with the artwork. For me, a painting must have countenance – a spiritual presence – so that the artwork continues to live on in the mind of the viewer. Aiming for mystery in this world of the known, I create standing before the unknown.’

Salvatore Cuschera

Salvatore Cuschera was born in Tuscany in 1958.  He is an Italian sculptor, travelling between his studios in England and Italy. He graduated from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan and in 1990 he began to exhibit in group and solo exhibitions.

He recently  exhibited in the sculpture garden at Farleys House & Gallery, ‘Home of the Surrealists’ and at the Saatchi Gallery as part of an exhibition highlighting Italian Artists. His works can be found in public and private collections.

Creators, Makers & Performers

Portrait of Paul Matthews

Paul Matthews

Paul Matthews is a published poet, internationally acclaimed both for his poetry readings and for the joyful and interactive workshops in Creative Writing that he offers. His two books on the creative process, ‘Sing Me the Creation’ and ‘Words in Place’ (both from Hawthorn Press) have proved inspirational to teachers of children and adults alike, and to all who seek to develop their powers of imagination. He has travelled widely with his work and now, after stepping back from his full time work as lecturer, poet and gymnast at Emerson College he continues to expand his activities in the UK and elsewhere. He was the co-founder of ‘Poetry OtherWise’, a much loved gathering of poetry lovers that ran for many summers

Singing Forest Choir

The Singing Forest Choir is a community choir based here at Emerson and run by Naamah Pinkerfeld.

Naamah has been leading community choirs and groups since 2008, including the Heart of the City Choir in London since 2010 (which started out at St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation & Peace). She is blessed to have also led singing sessions in inspiring venues such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the British Museum, London Zoo and Chartres Cathedral in France.

She is passionate about harmony singing! Especially about singing traditional and more modern folk songs from England as well as from around the world. Her teaching style is inclusive and lively, encouraging participants to enjoy their voice and sing with confidence and joy in a relaxed and cosy atmosphere!

Early Education Initiatives

Robin’s Nest

Robin’s Nest provides Waldorf inspired childcare for a mixed constellation of children between the ages of 3 and 7. We are situated on the beautiful grounds of Emerson College, a stone throw away from our local biodynamic farm.

Our ethos is to create and sustain a setting which provides therapeutic care and education to nurture the whole family in their journey of parenting. We therefore have a diverse and inclusive setting providing childcare for parents from all walks of life.

Social Arts

Acorn Art Studios

Acorn Art Studios is social arts initiative run by Mary-Anne Paterson.

Mary-Anne is an artist and art therapist dedicated to helping others in their journey of personal development so as to discover their ‘inner artist’ and speak with their true and unique voice. She believes that, by exploring the Arts in practice ‘together’ and with ‘the other’, we have the possibility to attain a self-knowledge, inner strength, well-being, a sense of hope and purpose