#665, Rosina Kim LYTTON COBBOLD

Rosina describes her life journey as follows:

1990: Parts of an American Degree in Painting,Photography and Graphic Design at Huron University, London.  

1991: Art Foundation at Central St Martin's School of Art, London.

1992-1995: BA Hons degree in 3D Design, specialising in Metalwork at Middlesex University.  A materials based course studying functional design and fine art, with experience in ceramics, glass, wood and metal.

1994: Six months liberating study at Les Ateliers Industrial Design College in Paris (as an Erasmus exchange student).

2001: Awarded a Hatha Yoga teacher training certificate from The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Canada.

2009: Preparing To Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector Diploma from the University of Plymouth.

2010: Trained as a Point Zero Painting teacher at Michele Cassou's Master Class in San Francisco, USA

2019: Post Graduate Certificate in Education - Secondary school Design and Technology at Cambridge University.

2020: Awarded Qualified Teacher Status in both Design and Technology and Art.

In 1995, after university I founded my own business designing and making bespoke furniture in wood, metal and ceramics.  My bespoke furniture design evolved in to a range of carved wooden furniture for batch production.  I spent some time in Ghana, sourcing sustainable wood and carving in a local furniture factory.  In December 1998 I had a successful show at the Air (Art ?) Gallery in Dover Street, London.

That career was brought to an end by the birth of my first daughter Lily in 1998.  I moved to London and worked as a mural artist and portrait painter which I continue to do today.

In 2001 I trained as a Yoga teacher in the Sivananda Ashram in Canada.  I subsequently taught pregnancy twice a week at the Innergy Yoga Centre in North London, until the birth of my second daughter, Sophia in 2004.  I had studied hatha yoga at Innergy Yoga Centre with the inspirational Fausto Dorelli since 1998.  In 2003 I married his gorgeous talented son Demian Dorelli in the rose garden at Knebworth House.  Demian is a pianist/ composer, check out his recent releases - 'Pink Moon - a journey on Piano' and  'My Window'.

In 2001 I went to Easlen in California and studied Point Zero Painting with the wonderful Michele Cassou.  Her unique painting process set me on a journey of self-discovery in paint, learning a formula fro breaking through creative blocks, exploring creative flow and strengthening the intuitive voice.  Compelled to share the enlightening process, I started teaching it as an after-school club in South London and have continued to teach it ever since in schools, colleges, workshops and retreats around the world, for both adults and children.

In 2007 I was awarded a grant from The Rural Outreach Learning Initiative to set up adult Point Zero Painting classes.  In 2009/10 I continued teaching it for Cornwall College's outreach department having gained a PTTLS teaching qualification.  I also taught life drawing for Cornwall Adult Education in 2009/10.  In January 2010 I studied with Michele again on her teacher training master class in San Francisco.  I have lived with my family in Cambridge, UK since 2010.  I continue to paint portraits and teach in schools/organisations for both adults and children.  I took part in Cambridge Open Studios, displaying my own and my students work in 2013, 14, 16 & 18.

We were blessed to spend 2016-18 exploring the wonders of India, where I got to work for Whitefield Rising Trust in Bangalore.  I introduced an art curriculum and taught both students and trained teachers at a local government school.  I also ran various community art and mural painting projects.

After completing my PGCE at Cambridge University in 2019, I worked full time teaching Art & Design Technology at Samuel Ward Academy state school in Haverhill, UK.  With student and family support, we built a unique DT/Art classroom for the students from reclaimed and up-cycled materials.  I hope to inspire all the students I work with, that things can be done differently and they all have an opportunity to change the world for the better.  I spent six months of 2020/2021 in beautiful Bali, Indonesia, working and supporting creative projects at LalaLand Creative Studios and teaching high-school art & design for the famous Green School.

I am now working on a project to help transform the future of education.  We are promoting a new Biophilic Education movement that nurtures the love of life, a place where our young people can flourish.  I have co-founded a social venture called Biophilic Education Alliance (BE ALL).  We have built a new holistic transdiciplinary Da Vinci Life-skills (DVLS) curriculum and Assessment framework, with an accompanying BE mentor training program.  Our aim is to create a more sustainable, ethical and inclusive education that promotes collaboration over competition.  We are inspiring the entrepreneurs and changemakers of the future.  We have been piloting DVLS at Empathy Middle School, Bali since Jan. 2022.  Check out our website - Da Vinci Life-Skills Cambridge.