About Caroline Tatham Art

A Mother/Daughter Duo

‍ Caroline Tatham

Artist, lecturer and designer.

Caroline is passionate about observing nature to create fanciful, naïve, and imaginative landscapes and still life paintings. Creativity is at the heart of everything she does. Her nine-acre garden, which she designed and still maintains, is a constant source of creative inspiration.

She studied at The Royal College of Art and has taught at a range of colleges and art schools, including Central Saint Martins School of Art in London.

Caroline is a qualified lecturer, with 30+ years of teaching experience under her belt. She’s loved running the Cotswold Gardening Schoolsince 2010. Caroline specialises in teaching creative design to a professional standard for those with no previous experience, helping them achieve results they never imagined possible.

Caroline’s Story “Battery Hen Turned Free-range Chicken”:

The Royal College of Art was a game changer for me, and I was privileged to rub shoulders with amazing tutors and peers alike. After that, navigating corporate life brought different challenges that taught me so much, not least that I love ploughing my own furrow!

As I set up my own businesses, first as a textile designer, then as a garden designer, I found myself to be a battery hen turned free-range chicken. Then I also trained as an educator.

I loved working for some large institutions in London, but was happiest of all when I set up my own garden design school alongside creating a nine-acre garden from scratch.

Throughout it all, I have made art alongside my design career. In my corporate years, I found solace and an antidote to a stressful career in the art shop. When designing gardens, a deep love and appreciation for art underpins all of my creative process.

Now that I get to make art as a business, I could not be happier. I live in my dream home, work with my beautiful daughter, and get endless inspiration from the garden that I have built over the past two decades. The trees that she and I planted when she was small are now mighty specimens that I can draw and paint for the art that she promotes and sells. It all feels very full circle.

Caroline’s Education:

Foundation course in Art and Design at Staffordshire Polytechnic, graduated in 1984 (distinction).

First Class BA(Hons) Fashion Textiles at Brighton University, graduated in 1989 (top student).

Royal College of Art M(Des) Fashion Knitwear, graduated in 1991.

Diploma EGS Garden Design from The English Gardening School, graduating in 2005 (top student).

Diploma EGS Professional Planting Design from The English Gardening School, graduating in 2006).

Artist Statement:

Inspired by nature and her 9-acre garden, which she has carefully crafted over the last 15 years, Caroline Tatham uses mixed media to create peaceful, positive and naive artworks. She is particularly interested in the relationship between people and their natural settings, as well as how wildlife can enhance our everyday experience.

‍ Emma Tatham

Caroline’s daughter and business partner.

Marketing, social media and communications manager.

Emma is also the brand manager, photographer, videographer and editor for Caroline Tatham Art, when she is not creating her own art, such as her beautiful ceramics and creative short videos. She is very involved in the artistic direction and the business aspects of the brand, as well as being a natural teacher. Emma really enjoys assisting Caroline's tutoring during the in-person courses, with top tips and practical support as well as on-going feedback.

Emma’s Story:

I have always loved nature and all things creative, ever since I was a young child. I have many fond memories of playing with my brother and our chickens for hours in the summer holidays, finding peace and happiness with Mother Earth, whilst many of my classmates were watching TV.

When I got my first phone, I discovered my passion for filming and editing videos and was instantly hooked. I still edit regularly in my free time to this day.

Creative subjects at school were always my favourite; I was proud to have received multiple creative writing awards at school, which was especially exciting for me, being that I’m dyslexic and not a natural speller!

The school system didn’t suit my dyslexic brain well, so I am very grateful to have been home educated towards the end of my schooling years. Being home educated naturally pivoted towards helping Mum out with a few projects here and there, which turned into running a full-time business with her. I feel truly blessed for the opportunity to take photos in the beautiful garden I grew up in, and to be able to spend time with my family whilst doing a job that harnesses all my natural skills and interests.

Together

What We’re Proud to Have Achieved

In early 2026, we exhibited over 80 pieces at the WWT Slimbridge exhibition, after our successful exhibition in 2024, where we exhibited over 30 artworks. For both exhibitions, 35% of all proceeds go to the WWT charity. Plus, we are proud to be displaying artwork permanently in the WWT Slimbridge shepherds huts, as well as the Slimbridge shop.

We are thrilled to have been commissioned by Woodmansterne Publishing for a limited edition freestanding art advent calendar and a pack of 5 charity cards for Christmas 2026.

We are very excited for our 3-month upcoming exhibition with Leaf and Ground this Winter, alongside a fun day course in their grounds. Plus, we’re delighted to have secured a spot at Prema Arts Centre for an exhibition in Spring 2027.

We were proud to have had our artwork featured on the cover of the Country Life magazine in 2023 for their Christmas double issue.

Please click here for more information on our exciting collaborations.

Our Beautiful Setting

The Tatham family live in a 17th-century historic house and 9-acre organic garden, designed by Caroline, which is also home to their 3 friendly dogs: Milo (chihuahua), Lottie (jack russell-chihuahua cross) and Maisy (golden retriever).

Caroline's garden is at the core of everything that she creates. As a practising garden designer and educator, she has developed her own garden over the past 15 years. It makes a wonderful setting for in-person art courses and provides an ever-changing source of natural inspiration and creativity in her own artwork, as well as inspiring creatives globally with the Fun-Sized Art School initiative, where the English garden inspired regular art demonstration videos.