Meet the Artists of the VAA Accountability Circle: October Members of the Month

VAA Accountability Circle – Artist Feature – Members of the Month October 2026

The Accountability Circle is an artist-led community for existing VAA Members who are passionate about supporting one another throughout every stage of their creative journeys. It is a space where artists can connect, exchange knowledge and experiences, and encourage each other to turn creative ambitions into meaningful action.

This programme is designed to help artists turn their art practice into a sustainable and fulfilling career, without having to navigate the journey alone. It provides structure, guidance, accountability and practical support to help move creative ideas forward and build stronger foundations for their businesses.

Through consistent action and clear goals, members can build momentum and develop greater confidence in their practice. They also gain practical tools to make informed decisions, overcome challenges and build a business that supports both their creative ambitions and long-term goals.

Reverberation 2, An Exploration into Tone and Intensity – Dr E Alana James

The Accountability Circle provides an opportunity for members to explore the many different aspects of an artist’s journey. This includes developing creative processes, discovering inspiration, navigating business strategies, building confidence, setting goals, and finding the right tools and resources. With this process, artists develop their skills faster and much more efficiently, no matter where their start level may be.

What is your artistic process?

“I use the acrylics as if they were oils, only using water to glaze or clean my brushes in between colours and layers.

 

Every painting starts off with a full underpainting in either red, yellow, blue, brown or dark grey.

 

The next step is gridding the edited drawing (I often move trees, roads and branches to create a better composition) onto the canvas from my source photo which can be one I have purchased under licence or one I have taken myself or several different photos to make a whole.”

Visit Nicky’s website HERE

Nicky’s Instagram handle: @nicky_calver_art

Each member brings their own unique artistic voice, creating distinctive and exquisite pieces through a diverse range of mediums, materials, techniques, and tools. The Accountability Circle offer a rich variety of perspectives, creative processes, and artistic practices for the group to explore. By opening up their practices to one another, members have the opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from different ways of working, and gain new insights into their own creative journeys. This shared experience creates a supportive and inspiring environment where meaningful conversations can develop, foster deeper connections, collaboration, and a strong sense of community between artists.

Catherine Fostervoll

Catherine Fostervoll (née Catherine Archer-Wills) is a British mixed-media artist based in Oslo, Norway. Originally from West Sussex, she studied Art and Design in Worthing. She later completed a BA (Hons) in Illustration at Falmouth College of Arts. Catherine then spent around 20 years working as a freelance illustrator, concept artist and occasional silversmith before returning to her fine art practice.

Catherine creates layered works using reclaimed and altered papers, collage, printmaking techniques, frottage and botanical prints. Her work explores our relationship with the natural world. Her move from the South West of England to Norway has deepened her connection with wild landscapes and seasonal extremes. Themes of resilience, renewal, stillness and transformation run throughout her work.

Her practice encourages greater awareness of nature, sustainability and our interconnectedness with the living world. Drawing on personal experience and her late-diagnosed ADHD, Catherine’s work also explores perception, personal growth and wellbeing. Through her practice, she creates spaces for reflection, connection and a renewed sense of wonder.

Kohaku Koi – Catherine Fostervoll

Through their perseverance and efforts, The Accountability Circle represents what every mindset and spirit that we believe every artist community should strive to embody. This is why The Accountability Circle has been chosen to be our Member of The Month, due to how they demonstrate our core values in the way they communicate, collaborate, and engage with one another. They have created an environment where members feel comfortable expressing their ideas, sharing different perspectives, asking questions, and discussing their creative practices openly and honestly, without fear of criticism or judgement.

What initially attracted you to joining a group like this?

“Honestly, I wanted a space where artists show up for themselves and each other.

 

Creative work can be wonderfully solitary, but having a circle of support that understands the ups and downs makes the work feel lighter and more grounded.”

Visit Jamie’s website HERE

Jamie’s Instagram handle: @jamielindholmart

In addition to it’s impressive support system and strong focus on sustainable career growth, The Accountability Circle is also a wonderfully diverse and inclusive community. It’s members come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and creative disciplines, bringing with them different perspectives and approaches to their artistic practices.

The Accountability Circle has a vast global reach, with members who have travelled and lived across different parts of the world for a variety of reasons. Despite coming from different places and having different experiences, members are able to find common ground through their passion for art, creativity, and personal development. This combination of diversity, connection, and mutual support is what makes The Accountability Circle such a unique and enriching community for artists at different stages of their journeys.

Liz Black

Liz Black is a digital and fine art artist focusing on modernist abstract art. Her practice explores the spatial relationship between two and three-dimensional forms. Holding a BA and an MA in Fine Art, Liz explores modernist principles and their impact on how people perceive what they see.

Her exhibition, Digital Discard, was shown at the Stables Gallery at Courtyard Arts following a summer-long residency. Liz draws inspiration from St Ives artists and the colour dynamics of Op Art. She experiments across a range of mediums, translating these influences into contemporary abstract compositions.

Her ongoing collection is inspired by mini-sculptures created from discarded wrappers. These sculptural forms are reimagined as two-dimensional digital prints, giving redundant materials a new visual purpose. Her creative process centres on colour, line and space. By combining these elements, Liz creates unexpected, playful and joyful compositions.

Ebb & Flow 2026 – Liz Black

To support one another, members of the Accountability Circle use weekly meetings alongside group chats to stay connected, share updates and maintain momentum. This flexible approach makes it easier for members to find a rhythm that works around their individual schedules, without adding unnecessary pressure to already busy routines.

The weekly meetings provide an opportunity for members to set clear, achievable goals and, importantly, return the following week to reflect on their progress. This simple cycle of setting intentions, taking action and checking in allows each member to work at a pace that feels realistic and sustainable. Through regular communication and shared encouragement, members can celebrate their progress, address challenges and keep moving their creative ambitions forward.

What does creative community mean to you?  

“Every experience leaves something behind and those layers become who we are.

I believe that we are all multi layered and we have our stories concealed and revealed through family history connections, stories emotions and changing culture.”

Visit Melanie’s website HERE

Melanie’s Instagram handle: @melsartlamps

The Accountability Circle is also made of a remarkable group of members, each bringing their own experience. Some have spent many years working within the creative industries, while others have built careers in entirely different fields before finding or reconnecting with their passion for art. This diversity of professional backgrounds demonstrates that creativity has no fixed path. The Accountability Circle provides a space where individuals can explore their artistic interests, develop new skills and embrace the opportunity to create something meaningful, regardless of where their professional journey began. By bringing together people with such varied experiences, the group encourages fresh perspectives and reminds us that an artistic practice can emerge at any stage of life and from any background.

Leigh Witherell

Leigh Witherell is a contemporary artist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Working primarily in acrylic on canvas, Leigh captures moments of human emotion through contemporary compositions. Her work explores the intimacy, complexity and vulnerability of lived experience. Inspired by the stories of people she encounters, Leigh draws from the different perspectives and emotions that shape each individual.

Every narrative she hears becomes a point of connection, sparking a deeper curiosity about the layers of human experience. Through her paintings, Leigh translates these personal narratives into visual expressions of emotion. In doing so, she creates space for stories to unfold beyond words.

Her work invites viewers to reflect on the rawness and beauty of shared human experiences. At the same time, it encourages them to discover something familiar within the individuality of each story.

Although the Accountability Circle was created primarily to support artists, its impact extends far beyond individual creative practices. Through guidance, accountability and a strong network of peer support, the community gives artists the confidence and structure to pursue the work they are genuinely passionate about. It also helps them develop their ideas and continue moving their practice forward.

That support can have a meaningful ripple effect. As artists grow in confidence and remain committed to their practice, their work has greater opportunity to reach new audiences and connect with buyers and collectors. These connections can also open doors to future opportunities. In turn, they can contribute towards greater financial stability, sustainable income and long-term career development.

At the heart of the Accountability Circle, however, is its community. Its members have created a culture built on equality, companionship, encouragement and shared growth. They continually champion one another through both the challenges and successes of an artistic career.

It is this commitment to uplifting one another that has earned the Accountability Circle recognition as our Members of the Month. Their example is a powerful reminder that progress does not have to happen in isolation. Through collaboration and mutual support, artists can build stronger individual practices. Together, they can also create a stronger and more connected creative community.

To find out more about the VAA Accountability Circle and how to join, visit HERE.

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