Creative, personal and career development for artists, writers and culture sector professionals

I am a qualified Relational Dynamics coach (ILM Level 7 equivalent), and I specialise in working with artists, writers and creative professionals. I work both individually and in groups, in person in London and online. Whether you’re seeking clarity on your creative direction, navigating a career transition, or developing your practice, I offer coaching and mentoring tailored to where you are now and where you want to go next.

Contact me to find out more

Book a free 30-minute call to discuss how we can work together

Coaching

My coaching draws on more than 20 years of experience in the art world, as a curator, writer, editor, and educator.

I work with clients at various stages in their careers.

• Emerging: develop new work and ideas, forge your professional and creative identity, and prepare for specific projects
• Mid-career: reflect on your personal and professional value, navigate professional relationships and expectations from galleries, museums, or other public institutions, and maintain your creative authenticity in high-stakes environments
• Established: ensure congruence between your creative self and your public persona, maintain your creative experimentation, and navigate life transitions

Clients come to me when they’re:

• Feeling stuck or unclear about their creative direction
• Preparing for a significant transition (career change, life experience, new project, etc.) or returning to creative practice after a hiatus
• Navigating professional relationships in the art world (gallery representation, working with curators and public institutions, negotiating with collectors or patrons)
• Making decisions around positioning, pricing and publicity for their work (websites, selling, press coverage, interpretive writing and press)
• Wanting to develop more sustainable creative practices, both financially and in terms of health and wellbeing
• Seeking to build confidence in their work or professional identity
• Needing support to make space for their creative practice alongside other commitments
• Seeking a regular thinking partner around all these areas
• As part of a grant-funded development phase in their art and career

In coaching you decide on the outcomes you want, and through our coaching conversations, you work towards achieving your goals in ways that are sustainable and meaningful to you.

I believe you already have the answers within you—my role is to help you access them and then implement them. Through deep listening, thoughtful reflection, and powerful questions, I guide you in identifying and achieving your goals in ways that feel authentic and sustainable.

“They always say that time changes things
but you actually have to change them yourself.”
—Andy Warhol

What to expect

Sessions are usually 50 minutes long, and can take place online or in person in London. We typically work together over a series of sessions (often 6-12 meetings), either fortnightly or monthly depending on what works for you. Anything said in a coaching session is treated as confidential.

Mentoring

With mentoring I draw on my experience across the arts and culture sector: as a writer; curator and advisor for public museums; lecturer in art colleges; as well as my knowledge of the commercial gallery sector, to advise and guide you in your own work. Mentoring can involve a mix of conversations, studio visits and crits, networking, and professional development around studio practice, work-life balance, as well as the pricing, marketing and selling your work. Mentoring sessions are typically two-hours-long and during that time we do a ‘deep dive’ into your practice and discuss your goals and how you will achieve them.

The difference between coaching and mentoring

Coaching is self-directed—you set the agenda and goals, and I help you access your own resources to find solutions that work for you. It’s particularly powerful for building confidence, navigating uncertainty, and creating lasting change.

Mentoring is more directive—I share my professional experience and knowledge of the art world to offer practical guidance on specific challenges like developing your work, writing applications, navigating opportunities, or building your career.

Many people benefit from a combination of the two approaches.

My coaching approach

I have more than 20 years of experience supporting artists and creative professionals as a writer, curator, lecturer, mentor and coach. I am a trained Relational Dynamics 1st coach, skilled in listening and providing a safe and supported space for artists and creative professionals to explore and achieve their goals. I support people to grow by helping them access their existing personal resources and develop solutions that work for them. I draw on my expertise as a yoga and meditation teacher to help you stay present and connected to yourself during sessions and as you achieve your goals. My approach is trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirmative. In all my work I’m committed to equity and anti-racism.

My coaching qualifications include Sharpen the Saw Advanced Coaching (RD1st), Coaching for Grief (RD1st), Group Coaching (Support Squad) and Understanding Autism (The Skills Network). I abide by the Code of Ethics defined by the Association of Coaching and receive regular coaching supervision.

What makes my coaching distinctive: As a writer, I understand the creative process intimately—both its challenges and possibilities. I combine deep knowledge of the art world with an understanding of the embodied nature of creativity and its challenges to help you move beyond mental blocks into clarity and action. Whether you’re navigating career decisions, developing your practice, or seeking greater creative fulfilment, I offer a space that honours both the intellectual and felt dimensions of creative work.

What does it cost?

I offer a sliding scale of fees to ensure that you are able to access coaching and mentoring, whether you are paying your own way or funded by a grant or organisation. My pricing is designed to balance fairness, inclusion and the value of dedicated professional coaching. Coaching and mentoring are sometimes undertaken as part of publicly funded programmes including Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP); Creative Wales Awards; a-n The Artists Information Company Artists Bursaries or Access to Work. Message me via the contact form below to find out about the cost of coaching and mentoring and to arrange a call to discuss how we can work together.

Testimonials

I spent a period of 8 months being mentored by Ellen, through a mix of in-person studio visits, gallery trips, zoom chats, and emails. I remember after our first meeting feeling like she really understood me as an artist, what I was trying to do, and where I wanted to go. That understanding developed throughout her highly thoughtful mentoring, and I gained new knowledge and insight into how my practice connected to and exists in contexts of contemporary art. Importantly, she helped me develop a more holistic view of my practice. In my case, this included balancing high levels of production with periods of reflection, and understanding that in my paintings sometimes less is more. Since I have developed a much more rewarding creative process.
—Joe O’Rourke, Artist

I always come out of our sessions with a feeling of being lighter, more able, more myself. It’s a reconnection to myself and Ellen has a wonderful gift for gently suggesting and guiding so that I could find that true self again when I’ve wandered off with complicated thoughts and over egging the pudding! I’m very grateful for Ellen’s help and feel that these past 6 monthly sessions have been one of the best investments I have made for myself, my art and for my personal growth and happiness. Thank you Ellen.
—Helen Northcott, Artist

Ellen is a thoughtful and sensitive coach who has a deep understanding of the creative process and the multiple challenges and opportunities artists encounter on their individual creative journeys. Through meaningful discussion, gentle enquiry, and Ellen’s insightful probing I was able to articulate my painting practice more clearly and confidently, and as a result was able to positively position my practice within what is an increasingly complex art world. Over six coaching sessions Ellen firstly drew out of me the burning questions and uncertainties, skilfully encouraged me to answer those questions, and finally guided me towards ‘owning’ the way forward that we had successfully navigated.
—Di Gomery, Artist

The coaching journey I took with Ellen was a profound one for me, early on in the sessions we identified the goal of making a body of work. Through our sessions I explored the boundaries I had to making my own art work and committing to my arts practice. We discussed the core themes in my artwork as they developed. As the sessions went on my confidence grew in my abilities but also in myself, and looking back on the year-long sessions I am so proud of what I have created, and of realising an ambition, in taking the step to show my artwork in galleries. Thank you Ellen! 
—Florence Mulvey, Artist

I worked with Ellen on my art writing, and she provided a combination of coaching and mentoring. In six sessions I have achieved so many things, most importantly refining my pitching which resulted in my first commissions for an art magazine. I would strongly recommend Ellen: she has a gentle but firm style, and is very sharp, adapting the coaching to exactly what you need.
—Sabine Casparie, Writer

Ellen’s gentle non-intrusive approach has been a huge help for me in steering my thinking around work and the choices I make. As a freelancer, I often feel out of control and unable to turn down work as it comes. Ellen’s approach, using the gentlest of nudges, allowed me to pinpoint my strengths and areas of interest on my own, without interference or suggestion. I came away with much clearer objectives and a new confidence in what I would like to aim for. I particularly liked her linking physical sensation with decision-making, understanding that stressful patterns of thinking have physical effects too.
—Anonymous, Curator and Producer

Ellen helped me to push my practice into a direction which I am really proud of. She helped me to explore each area of my practice and to identify and define which areas I wanted to pursue the most. I felt Ellen was truly invested in our mentoring and that she had my best interests at the centre of all of her advice. I felt challenged and inspired and that I greatly benefited from her experience and expertise. I would recommend Ellen to anyone looking for mentoring.
—Louise Beer, Artist

I worked with Ellen as a mentor as part of my DYCP project funded by Arts Council England in 2019. Working with Ellen specifically was genuinely transformational. I have learned a great deal and grown as an artist through working with her. The process was challenging and exciting, and has given me much to consider in terms of the ways in which I view my own practice in the future. Ellen’s influence on my work through our time together still sticks with me now.
—Jez Dolan, Artist

Ellen mentored me over a period of six months, both in person and over email and phone conversations. As an emerging arts writer I found her focused engagement with my work so valuable, striking a balance between challenging me and encouraging me. Ellen’s guidance was consistently thoughtful, clear and practical, and there are core pieces of advice that I come back to time and again several years on. She encouraged me to push myself further, both in terms of my writing itself and how to get it out there; with the latter she was generous in sharing her professional experience and contacts. Importantly the process was really enjoyable too. I am delighted I had the opportunity to develop my writing under Ellen’s mentorship.
—Denise Courcoux, writer, The Double Negative Fellow 2018-19

Mentoring for targeted short-term projects, such as proposals and applications:

Ellen’s expert perspective was invaluable. It saved huge amounts of time and made what is usually a painful process a real pleasure to work on.
—Anonymous, Artist

Ready to explore working together?

Fill in the form below to arrange a free 30-minute call during which we can discuss what you’re looking for and how we might work together. I always aim to get back to you within 48 hours.