Andy Owen-Smith

I studied at Cheltenham School of Art & Design in 1979 and have a 2.1 degree in Fine Art & Art History. For the next few years I tried to establish a living as an artist but after some ‘almost’ commissions and ‘very nearly’ successful art competition entries I made the decision to build an alternative career to support my new family and went back to college.

After a few years of evening classes I completed a Degree in Management Studies and then a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). I then spent the next 20 years working for a high street bank. However, my love and passion for art remained a key part of me and over the last ten years the need to express myself artistically became ever more important. I established a studio above my wife’s pottery and opened it up one night a week teaching drawing and painting. This reignited feelings I had not felt for years and when early retirement was offered three years ago, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. The spark has always been there but I just didn’t have the time to nurture it. I now have the time, the resources, and the maturity. Maybe too much maturity!

More recently the business/commercial side of me identified an opportunity to create a space to show my work. I established Sixteen Gallery to help my return as an artist but structured it as an affordable space to help others no matter where they are on their own journey.