Hi! I'm Sarah Tiganis, founder of Smiling Sun Workshops.

My first foray into teaching art to kids was while I was completing my arts degree - quite entrepeneurial now I look back on it! Back then I didn't even need a website, just a few notices in local school newsletters, and a set-up in the spare room of my family home!

Since then I've had a career in fashion production and had two beautiful boys with my husband Bill.

Now both my boys are at school I'm going back to my first passion - visual arts and crafts. I also have a far greater understanding of young children.

My eldest son taught me rather explicitly that art is not about the end product. I would research a project, show him how it should look and... hover. Only for him to treat the project like a science experiment, make something not remotely like what I showed him, and make a huge mess in the process!

I have since learned that this approach is actually a thing - it's called Process Art. It really is the only way to keep young children engaged in an activity, and it has so many benefits.

You can read more about this approach, and how I mix it up with some product focussed art in the Teaching Philosophy page of this website.

Outside the studio, I can be found enjoying quality family time with my husband and two sons, trying out new recipes, and binge watching my current fave series on Netflix...

Thank you for reading along with me, I hope to see you in the studio!

If you'd like to contact me, please head to the contact page, I'd love to hear from you.