In 2003 ceramic artist, Julie Miles found herself working as project coordinator on the Hyndburn Art Satellites Project. Among the artists who were drawn from the local area, she worked with textile artist Jacqueline Smith and sculptor Marjan Wouda.

Marjan: "It was heartening to meet other local artists with whom we shared many of our experiences, particularly those of making a living from our art, including workshops in schools. Without the existence of an umbrella organisation putting artists and schools together we felt that as a group we could make ourselves more visible to schools. And so Arteach was born."

A recent grant from the Arts Council has enabled Arteach to have its own website. By visiting www.arteach.co.uk you will find out more about the kind of workshops offered and a wealth of information to assist schools should they wish to work with an artist.

Julie Miles: Ceramicist

"My work is about nature and ladscape using the details as inspiration and as a resource within my work. I collect natural objects such as leaves and feathers which help me remember my experiences of places, using sketchbooks to collate all the information from the landscape around me. This is then taken back to the studio to inspire my work with clay, pocelain and brick. Drawing is also an important part of my practice which helps me explore the landscape and elements in it which inspire my ceramic work."

Jacqueline Smith: Textile Artist

"In my work as an artist, I enjoy the process of producing large scale textile pieces on a variety of materials such as silk, cotton and paper. A love of colour and surface textures are explord in my work, starting from rich backgrounds created using inks and paints which are then built up on layers of organzas, silks, papers, threads and scrap materials and then sewn on a machine using embroidery as a drawn line to define shapes and add detail."

Marjan Wouda: Sculptor
"I am a sculptor working mainly in clay, which is either fired or cast into bronze. Almost all of my work features animals and many can be found in public settings. I draw, explore ideas in sketchbooks and through maquettes, am interested in bone structures and in finding new and creative ways of working with clay through imprinting texture. My work is as much about exploring materials - in effect playing with them - as it is about exploring ideas. I also work with recycled materials, willow, welded steel, paper, rod, wire and junk."