Kathryn’s first career was in Speech and Language Therapy, where she specialised in paediatrics. By her twenties, she had become Head of Paediatrics at Epsom and Ewell NHS Trust, while continuing to exhibit and sell her artwork. Although her managerial role was rewarding, it left little space for what she truly loved: making art and working with children. 

A turning point came when Kathryn saw how limited art resources were for her two daughters, Rebekah and Emily. Drawing on her experience and lifelong love of art, she began creating projects that would allow children to develop their artistic skills, grow in confidence, and enjoy the process of creating. That was the start of Kathryn’s art club called Arty Club for Crafty Kids in 2000. Word quickly spread with a simple advert at the local railway station; by 2010, families were travelling over an hour to attend classes. 

Emily, meanwhile, pursued a career in investment banking after university. The fast-paced environment was exciting, but she found the lack of autonomy and creativity unfulfilling. In 2016, Kathryn & Emily were out for dinner when they decided that they could join Kathryn’s expertise in art teaching and programming with Emily’s passion for business and turn Arty Club for Crafty Kids into a nationwide brand. 

art-K was born.

From this point onwards, Kathryn had to turn her understanding of adjusting programmes to individual students into a programme that could be replicated across new locations. Emily had to focus on how and where to expand first, building a sustainable business model that could deliver quality classes and be agile as it grows.

Fast forward to today and art-K runs over 60 studios across the UK, supporting more than 8,000 students every week: from children taking their first creative steps to adults rediscovering the joy of making.