Sue Lewis-Blake won the Society of Graphic Fine Art ArtistPapers Strathmore Best in Show Bursary 2017. Her winning piece, “Before and After”, depicts a large log pile, drawn in coloured pencil, overlaid with painted and collaged tree forms. We speak to Sue to find out how she started her career as an artist and what she's working on now.

Tell us something about yourself, Sue.

Principally a landscape painter, I’m fortunate enough to live in a small Peak District Village with the most wonderful views. I moved to the area some three years ago from Warwickshire where I had taught art, product design and the history of art for many years. This “parallel” career was challenging at times – certainly in terms of time management – but I enjoyed the stimulation of being with my students and always saw the two aspects as mutually beneficial; new ideas emerged as I helped pupils to develop theirs. Teaching allowed me to engage with a vast range of materials and keep abreast of new developments -  although traditional drawing skills always underpinned every aspect of both my own and my pupils’ work.