We catch up at home with Eli, the co-founder and business director at Art4Space.
Being one of the Art4Space founders – what do you love about Art4Space?
I feel very proud of what we have achieved through Art4Space. I love our all-female team of staff. I love seeing children, young people and adults flourish through engaging in our services. I love our art centre that we had to work so hard to secure and I enjoy the dynamism that comes through running a business and the possibilities that come with it.
How do you start your day?
I’m an early morning person. I am up between 5am and 6am, kick off with some tea and meditation. At the moment I enjoy being at my desk when it’s still dark outside. They say that our brains are most effective first thing in the morning so I like to do my ‘thinking’ work first – things like funding applications or any writing I need to do.
What’s your personal lockdown tip?
Discipline. In those moments when you think ‘I can’t be bothered to go out for a walk’ is exactly the time when you need to get out there. I am home alone and don’t have children or anyone else to worry about and so this self-discipline feels particularly important for me. That said I do maybe box-set binge a bit too much at times!
Is there anything you have discovered that you would like to recommend?
I have actually discovered yoga through lockdown, with everything going online there is so much out there. One of our team members recommended Five Parks Yoga, which has got something for everyone.
What is your favourite home lockdown lunch?
It’s got to be homemade soup. I make a big batch of it at the beginning of the week and it gets me through, by Thursday I need to mix it up!
Are you working on any creative projects?
I have quite a lot of work to do on my house at the moment, so that is pretty much taking up my weekends. When it’s done, I plan to teach myself how to do stained glass – it’s a material that I have always loved.
Who would you give a shout out to and why?
To all our lovely team of staff. We have supported each other so well through this last year, and have worked hard to navigate our way through these challenging times.