I moved to France and became an online art teacher with more than 44,000 students

After training as a graphic artist in Coventry, England, the early years of my career were spent in media and PR. 

I eventually returned to art in the early 2000s, taking commissions for murals or friezes for a variety of clients. I also taught on a graphic design course at a local college in Kidderminster.

I enjoyed having different strings to my bow. Being able to diversify meant my income was not dependent on a single source, which made it less precarious. 

As I gained confidence, I realised I could freelance from anywhere – and my thoughts turned to travel. I had always loved France and spent many happy holidays in the country. I wondered if I might move there one day, and in 2008 the time suddenly seemed right. 

My parents had passed away and I was living on a housing estate in Worcestershire. It felt as if everything was closing in on me, and I longed for new pastures.

As I already had a good five years of freelance experience under my belt, I felt confident I could transfer my work. But I also knew I would have to do more than just produce art – I wanted to teach it too. 

With limited French at the time, I was not ready to apply to colleges or art centres in France, and teaching online had not yet taken off. My only hope was to attract people for in-person courses. 

I purchased a small, terraced house in Quarante (Hérault) and moved over on my own.

With one income, it was important to keep up momentum, work-wise, so as soon as I arrived I launched my new enterprise – painting holidays in the Languedoc countryside.

With a fairly modest house, I did not offer my clients accommodation, but there was plenty for them to choose from locally. The selling point for clients was that they could have a traditional holiday as well as learning or developing artistic skills. 

Fortunately, this proved popular and I was able to run several holidays a year, generating a modest income.

I also offered intensive one-to-one art courses and reached out to potential corporate clients to run painting holidays for executives and employees.

Meanwhile, the internet’s potential was expanding. In 2010, I began to make videos on YouTube, expanding my reach. The videos could be used as a teaching tool, but were also a great way to market what I do.

Most people still preferred learning in person, especially when it came to art, but live internet lessons were gaining traction. In 2014, I discovered a company that hosted online courses and applied with my art classes.

Once I had gained experience, I knew I wanted to do something myself. Could I open my own online art school? And would I be able to market myself and attract clients?

With my art holidays and online teaching as backup, I decided to take a punt on myself. I created a website and began to offer one-to-one or group classes. Working for myself rather than through a company was riskier, but offered the chance of more autonomy and financial reward.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a dreadful time for so many people – myself included. But one silver lining was that suddenly everyone was interested in learning online. By this time, my school was already well established, and demand exploded. I was able to renovate my house with the proceeds!

I now have over 44,000 students across five continents and my YouTube channel has over 30,000 subscribers.

These days I continue to run the painting holidays while also offering classes through my art school. I never sit still and am always looking for new opportunities. As a freelancer, you have to be flexible. I have found that there is always an opportunity if you look. That’s something I have always capitalised on – I’m a trooper!