5 questions we asked our Young Masters 2026 judges.
What first inspired your interest and dedication to the creative arts?
I come from a bookish/teacher family so initially I studied English literature. But then by chance I got a job editing the newsletter of the Chartered Society of Designers. Their members included Lucienne and Robin Day, Jean Muir, Rodney Fitch, Sir Norman Foster. It was the 1980s and design was the new buzzword. I became very excited by the changing visual landscape of new bars, clubs, museums and art galleries, and worked on "zines" like Designing, The Big Paper and Designers’ Journal.
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your professional journey?
I never imagined I’d work in newspapers (back then there was really only the choice of becoming a tabloid journalist or secretary to the literary editor if you were posh enough!) but after the success of magazines such as The Face, Blitz and i-D, suddenly every newspaper wanted their own glossy supplement. And if you knew about “stuff” (street style, fashion, design, architecture) you were ideally placed. So I began interviewing artists and authors, craftspeople and actors and reviewing exhibitions and shows.
What are your thoughts on the latest Young Masters project, and what are you most excited about?
I’m a proud feminist but I had no idea that the borough of Wimbledon became such a hotbed of suffragette activity, spearheaded by the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). And that, in 1913, frustrated by the lack of the vote, the suffragettes targeted the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, where activists attempted to set fire to the grounds. It seems such rich territory for artists to explore!
Are you looking forward to visiting the beautiful Wimbledon Museum and seeing how the Suffragette colours are elevated through the history and atmosphere of the tennis championship?
I’m fascinated that the museum holds official collection highlights dedicated to this era, including a preserved suffragette banner and historical cups. So it will be a great collaboration.
What is your connection with Young Masters, and how did you first meet the founder, Cynthia Valianti Corbett?
I’ve long admired Cynthia for her spirit of exploration and democracy in an often closed art world. She champions so many new artists. I first interviewed her for Crafts magazine about her collection of ceramics in her gorgeous Wimbledon house-cum-gallery, a former Victorian convent. I love the way the decor is inspired by Monet’s house at Giverny.