Annelise Højme Gainham

Key details:

Department:
Guildhall Young Artists Taunton
Role:
Art & Design Tutor

Annelise Højme Gainham has a passion for Art & Design and a love of colour and pattern. Her early career began following in the footsteps of her artistic hero, David Hockney, attending Bradford School of Art where she gained a BA honours degree in Art and Design (dissertation ‘Imagination in Childhood’ ).

After further post-graduate study in Portugal, she met acclaimed Norwegian artist Ingrid Kuiters who became her mentor and friend, and the two artists shared an open studio space. Annelise also began teaching and facilitating art courses for children and students of many nationalities, using art as a visual language and a shared joy of the creative process using a variety of media. Annelise has sold art-textile commissions worldwide and was regularly featured in ‘Casa’ Interior magazine whilst also organising and featuring annual gallery exhibitions and commissions. In 1998 Annelise was commissioned by ‘In Loco’ Rural Tourism Initiative.

On her return to UK, Annelise gained a PGCE in Secondary Level Art and Design at University of Exeter and has taught art in Devon and Somerset schools. She is presently teaching art at Primary level and is an Arts Award Advisor for Trinity College. 

Annelise has a passion for promoting the value of a broad and rich art curriculum, knowing the importance of a holistic approach to art for the wellbeing of children of all ages. Her weekly art club is currently working on their end of term exhibition ‘Miniature Masterpieces’. 

Annelise is a trained Therapeutic Art Practitioner ‘Drawing and Talking Method’. Her mission statement is borrowed from the founder of the modern art movement: ‘Every child is an artist’, Pablo Picasso. Fostering the imagination and creativity in children is a privilege for Annelise. 

For the past year Annelise has been working with SPAEDA Arts Education where she has been part of SWITCHBOOKS. Switchbooks is an innovative collaboration, bringing together art educators from across Somerset with the resulting artworks being part of a travelling exhibition for Somerset Art Weeks. The theme for 2024 is ‘A Culture of Hope’.