Our Story
Art Waves was born from a shared love of creativity, community and the belief that art should be for EVERYONE.
We are Jadie & Gemma, two art-loving friends who first met more than ten years ago when our children attended the same primary school in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Over the years, we spent countless hours creating alongside our children, exploring different techniques, sharing ideas and discovering just how rewarding making art can be.
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As our friendship grew, so did our dream! We wanted to create spaces where people of all ages and abilities could experience that same joy, whether they were picking up a paintbrush for the first time or returning to a creative passion they hadn't explored in years.
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That's how Art Waves began.
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For us, Art Waves is about much more than art. Its about connection, confidence, self-expression and bringing people together. Surprising oneself and being disciplined to learn a new skill is beyond enriching and it's a privilege to witness this in our sessions.
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We are so excited to share this journey with you and can't wait to welcome you to a class soon.
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Jadie & Gemma
Founders, Art Waves
Jadie Oberholzer
Co-Founder & Resident Artist
Jadie has twenty years experience in both state and private art education and coordinates the Leigh-on-Sea Children's Art Trail. Jadie is driven as an art teacher to ensure that all learners have an opportunity to explore art and believes creativity and the practice of making art is a building block for self confidence, self-discipline and most importantly joy!
Jadie studied Art at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, graduating with a distinction in Fine Art (Foundation course). She received a scholarship to attend Elmira College in upstate New York, where she had the opportunity to develop her visual portfolio alongside other subjects such as Anthropology, History and Botany, and with a portion of her studies taking place at Cornell University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Art Degree, Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Visual Arts and Art Education and a minor in Anthropology.
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Jadie has worked and volunteered in various museums and galleries including the D.A.C, a nonprofit organisation in New York, the British Museum and was awarded a Summer residency at the Tate Modern in 2019 ( a dream come true!).
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Art Waves has been a dream and aspiration for many years. Together, Gemma and Jadie are making their dream a reality!
Gemma Norris
Co-Founder & Operations Lead
While Gemma's professional journey didn't begin in the 'Art Sphere,' creativity has always been the heartbeat of her work.
Following a successful career in Market Research - where she collaborated with major broadcasters like ITV and the BBC, also working client-side for The Discovery Channel - Gemma took a leap into the culinary world.
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With a passion for food, she decided to open her own business, making and selling gourmet ice-lollies in Essex. She found true joy in seeing her customers' faces as they tasted her fruit-filled creations!
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At home, Gemma loves being mum to her three kids. She's always enjoyed getting creative with them, pulling out the paints, glitter and glue to make school projects or just fun makes to decorate the house!
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​Now she's bringing that same enthusiasm and creativity to Art Waves! She loves sharing her skills and inspiring others to explore their artistic side. With her warm, encouraging and nurturing personality, she makes sure every session is super fun for both kids and adults alike. ​
Endorsements for our Resident Artist
Kari Hearn
Teacher, West Leigh Primary School
Having worked as an art teacher for many years, alongside being awarded an art scholarship in America, Jadie's experience and knowledge are both remarkable and inspiring. She doesn't simply teach art; she creates opportunities for people to discover their own creativity, develop confidence and see the world through an imaginative lens.
Nicola Trevena
Art Teacher, Southend High for Girls
Jadie is a very talented artist and has been exhibiting her work for many years in the Leigh Art Trail, she is also the Lead Co-ordinator for the local primary schools' exhibition and highly respected member of the Leigh Art Trail. She is an amazing person and teacher who loves to encourage with lots of positivity and fun!
Bronwyn Oldham
Photographic Artist
I have taught alongside Jadie for a while now and she is not only very knowledgable about art, but also a great communicator, who is able to get the best out of her students.
She challenges her students to ‘think out of the box’ to create interesting and thoughtful pieces, whilst making sure her sessions are always lots of fun!
