ANN WITHERIDGE
FOUNDER

Ann studied art history  at Christ’s College, Cambridge before moving to Italy to study art full-time. She has been teaching drawing and painting in the atelier tradition for nearly twenty years: first at Charles H. Cecil Studios, subsequently as co-founder of Lavender Hill Studios and now at London Fine Art Studios.

CLARE WITHERIDGE
DIRECTOR

Clare studied French & Italian at Durham University. She spent 20 years working in marketing, during which time she was the marketing director at Lacoste UK. She has joined London Fine Art Studios to develop collaborations with other companies who have the same vision as LFAS and to bring fine art to a wider audience.

SCOTT POHLSCHMIDT
SCULPTURE TUTOR

Scott studied Liberal Arts & Science with a focus on Art and History of Art at DePaul University.  He won the Dean’s Art scholarship and was also sponsored to study in Florence as part of his degree. Scott has taught and run art studios for over twenty years. He worked with Charles Cecil in Florence for nearly ten years before moving to London to co-found Lavender Hill Studios. He is now focussing on the studios art shop Lavender Hill Colours and running the sculpture programme.

JONI DUARTE
SENIOR TUTOR

Joni Hirata Duarte, began his studies in art at Lisbon Art University and completed his MA at City & Guilds London Art School in 2012. He is now Senior Tutor at London Fine Art Studios and continues to work as an independent artist, receiving commissions and leading workshops at home and abroad.

MICHAEL GALLONE
TUTOR

After working in IT and attending life drawing sessions in the evenings Michael came to the decision that he wanted to switch careers. He enrolled at London Fine Art Studios (then Lavender Hill Studios) at the start of 2014. Michael has been studying full time since then as well as contributing to the development and design of the Studios’ website.
In 2016 he was awarded the De Lazlo Scholarship for two consecutive terms.

NNEKA UZOIGWE
TUTOR & MODELS MANAGER

Nneka has been training at London Fine Art Studios since 2015 and now works as a full-time artist, taking on commissions. She was awarded the De Laszlo Scholarship over three terms and has exhibited with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and Society of Women Artists at the Mall Galleries. She continues to develop her work with a particular interest in flora. Nneka is also in charge of managing the models.

CHRIS GRAY
TUTOR

Chris studied art at Falmouth University College, focusing mainly on printmaking. He further developed his training at Lavender Hill Studios & London Fine Art Studios where he now teaches drawing, painting and printmaking. Chris is currently developing a body of etchings for exhibition.

ANNAM BUTT

TUTOR

Annam has been training at London Fine Art Studios since late 2017 and now a part-time tutor and student. She was awarded the De Laszlo Scholarship for three terms and continues to develop her own style as well as push herself in the craft. She has a keen interest in contemporary still life’s with an edge, sometimes incorporating taxidermy and macabre objects pushing the narrative of her paintings. 

SHIRLEY (XUEYAN) CHI

STUDIO ASSISTANT

When Xueyan received her BA Art & Design from the University of Leeds, she discovered that her favourite way to express her artwork was through narrative and figurative techniques. Art to Xueyan is a language and the most direct and intuitive way of communicating with people from all walks of life. She wants to transfer her opinions and experiences through storytelling, so she decided to study MA: Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL.

JILL HOOPER
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Jill has been artist in residence for the autumn term, offering masterclasses in composition, pen & ink and oil painting. She has apprenticed with artists both in the US and Italy. She is professor of drawing at the American College of Building Arts, Charleston, SC. She has recently completed a project for the Eye Hospital in Jerusalem with the Order of St John.

JON SCHWOCHERT
TUTOR

Jon Schwochert studied at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, before moving to London. Disheartened by the lack of technical training, Jon left university to train in traditional techniques and media at London Fine Art Studios. He completed his MA in Illustration at the University of Hertfordshire in 2015 where he received a distinction for his thesis.