From Lewes to Manhattan - trusting my creative instinct shaped my journey as an artist.

HEADER IMAGE CREDIT: CIARAN CONNOR

Pearl Bates studied A-Levels at East Sussex College Lewes before going on to exhibit her work internationally.

I always knew I was going to study art because I was always drawing. I chose the other two subjects [Art History and English Literature] because I felt they would help to underpin my practice as an artist. In the event, those three subjects taught me that art is at its most powerful when it makes you feel connected to something larger than yourself.

Lewes gave me the freedom to experiment without judgment, which was crucial for someone like me who was developing a style, both personally and in my work, that didn't fit into neat categories.

The environment at the college taught me to trust my instincts rather than what's supposed to be 'correct'. It's where I started to understand that finding your visual voice is about discovering what it is that only you can say.

After college, I completed an Art Foundation at Brighton College of Technology and then studied Theatre Design at Central Saint Martins. Working in theatre, film and TV taught me about storytelling through visual elements and creating entire worlds. Alongside that, I continued painting and exhibiting locally, which eventually led to gallery representation and exhibitions in Manhattan, London, Zurich and Santa Barbara.

I always carry a sketchbook with me. My process is quite instinctive. It's about finding the extraordinary hiding in the ordinary, and then using whatever visual language serves that moment best, whether it's borrowed from fashion, film, theatre or whatever.

The art tutors were encouraging and gave me real creative freedom, including the opportunity to create a mural on the cafeteria wall. Looking back, I think the most valuable support was actually being given space to make my own discoveries. It taught me to trust my instincts and problem-solve creatively.

These are skills that have proven to be vital, as I've built my career without traditional industry connections.

My work tends to make people feel less alone and more connected to the magic that surrounds them.

I'm currently working on a series of six London-themed pieces that capture the fairytale essence I see in the city's everyday moments. I’m also working on a collaboration with a greetings card company, and there are a few other projects in early development.

But what they all have in common is this drive to find new ways to illuminate the extraordinary hiding in ordinary moments.

Try to find other people who are doing what you want to do - people with good energy who inspire you, rather than compete with you. Most importantly, trust your unique voice, even if it doesn't fit within existing categories. The work that feels most authentically yours is usually the work that will resonate most with others. Your weirdness is your superpower! Don't dumb it down to fit in.

AI is undeniably disrupting our industry. I think the artists who'll survive and thrive are those who focus on what AI genuinely can't replicate: real human insight, authentic emotional connection, and the ability to see magic where others see the mundane. For me, the heart of good art is about human connection and emotional truth. And that's irreplaceable.