Droitwich Arts Network Committee
Chair and Hub Management – Rhys Jones
Rhys spent his whole career working in IT services mainly as a project manager. He has always been interested in the arts, particularly photography. After taking early retirement, Rhys worked for a few years as a freelance commercial photographer, but these days his photography is just a hobby. Rhys is The Chairman of DAN and manages the Hub, having previously been the Treasurer for ten years. Rhys has strong organisational skills and has a reputation for getting things done.
Secretary – Rosie Philpott
After graduating from Worcester University with a degree in both Fine Art and English Literature, Rosie is now working as a freelance artist / illustrator. As a youngster she revelled in writing stories and bringing these to life through drawing and words. She is regularly producing greeting cards, paintings for children’s bedrooms and original commissions. She has also exhibited in the Jinney Ring Craft Centre following her appearance on the BBC program ‘Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution’. Rosie occasionally works with local school children, is a member of the Salvation Army, and is active in all DAN activities.
Treasurer and Hub Display Management – Nicola Giles
Nicola is a self-taught artist passionate about traditional abstract art, working with oil and acrylic, as well as digital mediums. She also enjoys exploring new creative activities like needle felting and origami. Nicola believes in trying new artistic activities and always encourages others to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. Previously, Nicola worked as a designer for Kenji, where creating designs like the Rex range sparked her interest in Droitwich Arts Network after moving from Preston to Droitwich. Nicola recently obtained her MA in Human Resource Management. As Treasurer she oversees the display and sale of artwork in the Hub.
Newsletter Editor – Tina Watkins
Tina Watkins is a mainly self-taught artist who moved to Droitwich from Kenilworth. Since taking early retirement Tina has enjoyed revisiting her interest in painting. She started again on a painting holiday in Greece where she discovered she hadn’t quite left it too late to relearn! A year at Warwickshire Art College, many and various painting clubs and several years of art tuition later she finds she is still learning. Tina is currently serving on the committee as Membership Secretary for the Coventry & Warwickshire Society of Artists and Newsletter Editor for Droitwich Arts Network. She is also a member of Droitwich Art Club.
Membership Secretary – Wendy Simmons
Wendy is a pastel, landscape artist who favours a speedy and impressionistic style. During the first lockdown she spent time learning and developing her drawing skills with pastels; using many locations in and around Droitwich, from the Bluebells at Trench Woods, the wildflowers at Salwarpe and scenes from the canal. In May 2024 Wendy demonstrated how she layers highly pigmented pastels for her landscapes at a meeting for both members and the general public.


Jane was a civil servant for twelve years, took a career break to raise her daughters, and embarked on an Open University BA Honours degree specialising in History of Art and English. Later, Jane returned to the Civil Service, for a Quango which later became Natural England. However the last twelve years of her working life, and probably the most rewarding, were spent at Birmingham Adult Education Service where finally Jane thought she was helping make a difference. Having now been retired for two years Jane has been able to immerse herself into hobbies. Finding DAN has been absolutely great, meeting some of the most interesting people, seeing crafts through other artists’ eyes, and volunteering at the Hub.

I took up art after I retired and just before the pandemic lockdowns began. I work mainly in watercolour with occasional excursions into pastel, ink, coloured pencil, and charcoal. I have benefitted from learning from other artists since I joined Droitwich Arts Network and in turn I am happy to share my own thoughts, experience, knowledge, and encouragement within DAN, and the wider community whenever I am able to do so.

Wellbeing Activities – Karen Read
Karen was delighted to be voted onto the committee. Karen has various creative hobbies and admits to be an amateur at all of them. She urges members to try and write something every day, even a sentence can be a start of a story or idea. Karen has always been interested in writing poetry and short stories.

Amanda currently specialises in painting animal portraits in soft pastels. As a child she loved drawing and art, but life then got in the way. She picked up her pencils again 4 years ago as a way to relax and unwind from a busy work life. She loves to dabble with oils and acrylics and is fascinated with water!
