Ushma is an artist based in Wiltshire, having moved to the area from Zambia 20 years ago. Her studio is in Bishopstone, just off the Ridgeway National Trail. After studying engineering at the University of Bristol, Ushma practised engineering before pursuing a long-standing interest in art, and in 2009 she joined The Open College of the Arts, completing Painting, Photography and Illustration modules to develop her self-taught skills. Towards the end of her studies she discovered the art of wool 'painting'. The wool pictures are made using needle and wet felting methods. Ushma started using wool as a medium in 2015 as an ‘easier to clean up’ alternative to paint. She immediately fell in love with the medium and has developed her knowledge and skills with practice. Each piece is different and requires individual techniques and materials to achieve the desired effect, so there is always something new to learn. She incorporates different fibres in the work for different textures, including silk, alpaca, bamboo, plant fibres and various wool breeds. Ushma takes inspiration from the unique and historical Wiltshire scenery around her. Working to capture light, depth and texture using wool she strives to capture the mood of the scene. She takes commissions to produce wool pictures which can add a different challenge to her work, working from photographs from clients or sourcing images for them.She has created commissioned pieces of iconic landscapes further afield from photographs, including Scottish islands and even Hawaiian beaches! As far as possible the wool used is hand processed and dyed. Ushma works with her suppliers to source the colours and textures needed for each piece. She also sources and processes wool from local farmers, a short distance from her studio.