Sue was born on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. Her family returned to the UK after Kenya became politically unstable and unsafe for many Europeans. They replaced the African bush with Kentish landscapes, hop fields and apple orchards, a very rural and peaceful existence.

I enjoyed fine art at school, but was very aware that surviving on an artist’s income was going to be pretty impossible. So I sensibly studied graphic design at the London College of Printing. It was all about developing ideas and skills, exploring printing, photography, painting and drawing.

After graduation I worked for numerous well-respected design groups, including the world renowned Pentagram and had a lot of fun in the 1980s. Graphic design was a good discipline, working to deadlines and keeping the clients happy. My next stage was as a working mother and this was helped by success of the Apple Mac. At this time I also rekindled my love of life drawing and attended various classes.

Working with Barnes Atelier I later developed my drawing skills further, and produced a body of work that had a strong design element. I’ve been inspired by the textures and bold shapes of vegetables, shellfish, marine fish, sea shells and fossils. The theme is food – with a view to displaying them within a dining room, kitchen or restaurant. Some of the drawings appear on the walls of Rick Stein’s restaurant in Mortlake.

What are you working on now?
I need to move on and embrace skills I have into something which is less tight. For this to happen I need time to evolve, so I’m on a journey.

Recent technical discovery?
Natson’s, the local friendly newspaper shop, sells the best pencil sharpeners in town. They are simple, cheap and very sharp. When they are blunt, you simply throw them away. Natson's get a delivery on Thursday mornings, but don’t tell everyone – there will be none left.

What makes Barnes special?
Barnes has a brilliant visual location with the river, along with the pond and the ducks – and I live next to Beverley Brook so I feel very spoilt. I love the fact the Wetlands Centre is within walking distance and my favourite afternoons are spent on a bench drawing the ducks, who always seem to get cross with each other.

Just as important, it takes only 17 minutes by train to get to the centre of London. From there you have easy access to the National Gallery, the Royal Academy, the National Portrait Gallery, Somerset House and the Queen’s Gallery.

Favourite Artists?
Richard Diebenkorn, Van Gogh, Patrick George, June George, early Hockney, Gormley, Ravilious, Holbien and Japanese wood blocks.

Favourite bit of kit?
I was bored during a meeting financial advisors recently and started drawing with 'note taking' pencils and discovered what a brilliant range of tones they could produce. They were the best pencils I’ve found and I was given a box of them to take home.