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THE ARDINGTON DIRECTORS
Yvonne Sonsino
I am a Director of Ardington School of Crafts but enjoyed a career in the city too. I wrote Amazon best-selling book ‘The New Rules of Living Longer – how to survive your longer life’ which explores, amongst other things, how art and creativity are good for mental and physical health. I have an enthusiastic and fun teaching style and I'm very action focussed!
Career Highlights and Achievements
From an Arts perspective, I am the former Vice Chair of Trustees of the Royal Female School of Art and also exhibited and sold my own watercolour work locally for many years. From a gardening perspective, I have studied garden design with the RHS and KLC, and our garden has been featured in Country Homes and Interiors, 'Beauty by Design'. It has also been opened under the National Garden Scheme. I have successfully competed at a regional level in floral art with NAFAS.
Inspirations
My artistic inspiration has always come from the outdoors and natural materials. As a child I was always busy peering at flowers and dissecting them to understand the structure. Key inspirational painters include Georgia O'Keeffe, Rory McEwan, Rosie Sanders, Jess Shepherd and Fiona Strickland and I also love and practice Chinese freestyle and meticulous brush painting.
Other Interests
As well as gardening and art, I am a trained yoga teacher and novice potter.
Simon Sonsino
Since we took on the role of Directors at Ardington School of Crafts, my time for personal art has been limited—but If I were to give myself an artistic title, it would be Textual Artist, reflecting my fascination for letterforms. These days, my work leans toward the abstract, with a focus on artistic calligraphy rather than practical lettering.
Lately, I’ve been drawn to mosaics and pottery, exploring how I might combine these with my textual art to create something truly unique.
My career highlights include authoring Textual Art (2015) and Textual Art II: Impact & Intrigue (2020), earning a Design Degree from the Open University, demonstrating at Art in Action (2015 & 2016), completing numerous commissioned works, and leading Ardington School of Crafts to inspire creativity in others.
Inspirations
Learning from other artists across genres has been instrumental in shaping my creative journey. Seeing how others approach their craft, experimenting with their techniques, and drawing inspiration from their styles has enriched my work and helped my artistic voice evolve. I also find immense joy in sharing ideas and techniques through workshops and demonstrations.
Other Interests
I enjoy pottery, mosaics, competitive table tennis, cooking, and tackling building projects in our garden.
Gemma Gittins
Hi, I’m Gemma - one of the Directors here at Ardington - responsible for the ONLINE programme. I’m a communicator at heart - writing, talking, laughing - communication forms the basis of everything I do. Add to that my unwavering belief that creativity is comfort food for the soul, and it’s clear that this is the place for me.
Years of working in the charitable sector have shaped the way I look at the world, and have left me with a real passion to explore the power of art and its place in improving well-being. For me, arts and crafts are a tonic for life. But I know that often finding the time, or finding an accessible space, can be a barrier.
My vision for our ONLINE programme is to use the (oft maligned) wonders of modern technology to connect you to something exciting and new from the comfort of your own home. I want everyone to have the opportunity to explore new ideas, meet new people, learn new skills - and hopefully feel that fabulous creative buzz! I look forward to meeting you soon.
Other Interests
I absolutely love to read; books are definitely my happy place.
People always ask me what my craft is, but I wouldn't want to be tied down to just one thing. You could consider me a dabbler!
Coloured pencils are always a favourite, but I'm growing to love watercolours too. (And, like many of you, I'm a magpie for pretty art supplies!)
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