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Artist turns passion into business

Dawn Booth-Wilson has realised her dream of pursuing a career in art, opening a new studio and gallery in Stanhope, Weardale.

Giving up her office job, the former Inland Revenue officer undertook an art and design access course at Middlesbrough College and a degree in fine art at Teesside University.

She said: “The fine art course was a huge learning experience and it makes you look into yourself. The illustrative quality is perhaps a nod to my love of children’s story books and an obsession with reading and drawing which surfaced at an early age. I think what makes them charming is the colour and humour and fun.”

The results now adorn the walls of her new studio and gallery at the Durham Dales Centre, in Stanhope, Weardale, which is run by Business Durham, the economic development company for County Durham.

As well as her artwork, Dawn sells cards, cushions and prints made by UK students, chalk paints from Amble, jewellery and knitted crafts in her retail space and she’s keen to back British designers.

While at the dales centre, Dawn will be looking to take advantage of the free enterprise programme, Durham Creatives, which has supported more than 90 creative start-up businesses in County Durham.

The Durham Creatives workshops will run until October at the Dales Centre and include Business Planning; Health Wellbeing and Enterprise; The Art of Selling; Protecting Your Business Ideas; Finance – Understanding the Essentials; Food, Drink and Enterprise; Selling Overseas Online.

Sarah Slaven, business development director with Business Durham, the economic development company for County Durham, said: “The Durham Creatives programme has proved phenomenally successful at helping creative people take their hobbies and ideas and turn them into flourishing businesses.

“We’re keen to make the Durham Dales Centre a place for enterprise, rather than simply a venue, which is why it’s a great place for people to be inspired by the Durham Creatives workshops.”

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