AIM Team and Artist Facilitators
Our facilitators are artists with their own individual practices, and a background working with people who have learning disabilities.
We are a passionate team who work closely with AIM’s artists to support, mentor and empower them by helping to develop their skills. We identify opportunities to showcase their work and bring out the best in their creative expression.
Colin Higginson
Director & Lead Artist
Colin Higginson has been a practicing artist for over twenty-five years. He is a qualified art therapist and teacher having worked in both the health service and education. He worked in the NHS for 18 years where he was clinical lead and manager for the art and drama therapy services for people with learning disabilities in Bristol and the surrounding area. He went on to work in further education teaching art and animation to students with disabilities.
His current work is divided between his ongoing studio practice; a collaborative art practice and director of Art in Motion Charitable Trust (AIM). He is also a qualified Rd1st Coach and a Solution Foucus Hypnotherapist.
He works from his studio at Spike Island Artspace. He is a Clore Leadership Fellow and is an Associate Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE).
Maisie Fortune
Freelance Artist & Ceramist
Maisie Fortune has spent her professional life working in schools, FE Colleges and community-based projects, undertaking teacher training in 2013 before gaining qualified teacher status (QTLS) in 2016. Throughout this time she has maintained a focus on supporting neuro diverse and learning disabled adults and children , drawing on her BA degree in Fine Art to facilitate the learning process. Maisie is motivated by the opportunity to help people develop their individual styles and finding ways for them to expand creatively.
Throughout this time Maisie has been a practicing ceramic and visual artist working from her home studio.
Having recently returned to work after maternity leave, Alongside working for AIM, Maisie is undertaking the RHS level 2 in Practical Horticulture, with the intention of future projects that combine art with nature and plants.
George Harding
Artist & Facilitator
George Harding is an artist and carer and studied fine art at Chelsea UAL. He has a studio at Spike Island and is linked to the Bethlem Gallery in London.
At AIM, he facilitates and teaches painting for artists with learning disabilities, fostering their creativity, emphasising collaboration and community engagement.
His art practice spans plein air painting, street art, poetry, and art therapy exploring themes surrounding mental health recovery.
www.georgejharding.co.uk
Instagram: @georgejharding.art
Jazz Thompson
Artist & Communications Lead
Jazz is an illustrator and mural artist working in Bristol. Her work embodies both traditional and digital forms, and centres themes of culture, joy, liberation and activism.
Working on communications for AIM, Jasmine manages the social media channels and digital platforms including the website. She supports the operations and management of the NAIM network. She is responsible for ensuring the work and impact of the organisation reaches our networks, and expands beyond the AIM community.
She is inspired by people and places, specifically, people’s stories and lived experiences. She uses art as a platform for storytelling, or for starting conversations about something bigger.
www.jasmineshaniceart.com
Instagram: @jasmineshaniceart
Molly Bates
Photographer & Facilitator
Molly enjoys collaborating with the artists at AIM as it inspires her to continue making, and also to break away from just using photography.
Molly graduated from UWE photography in 2024, and has been working closely with AIM ever since.
Her work centre’s around themes of community and nature, using slower analogue processes.
https://www.molly-bates.com/
Instagram: @molly.batesphoto
Beau Palmer
NAIM Facilitator & Producer
Beau is a Producer who lives in Bristol. They are neurodivergent and work alongside neurodivergent artists.
Over the past two years, they have been working with In Between Time, Conqueer, Perpetually Stew and now AIM.
Beau works closely with the team on the smooth running and operations of the NAIM network.
Vesper Cain
NAIM Facilitator & Producer
Vesper is a queer, autistic and disabled artist, originally from the North-West but currently based in Bristol.
They are a facilitator for NAIM alongside being co-founder of the online, accessible art collective, poolnet. They are also part of ebc Day School’s 2024/25 cohort.
Vesper works closely with the team on the smooth running and operations of the NAIM network.
http://www.vesper404.co.uk
Instagram: @vesper.404
Phoebe Moss
Artist & Facilitator
Phoebe is a Textile Artist. Her fascination starts with the history, social and cultural significance of the discipline.
A qualified Art and Design secondary school teacher, Phoebe facilitates workshops and courses for all ages across Bristol and online. These are centred around enjoying the process of sharing and learning new skills along the way.
Phoebe is an Artist Facilitator at AIMS Art School.
Instagram: @patterns_of_play
Dr Amy Spencer
Facilitator and Operations Administrator
At Bath Spa, Dr Amy Spencer is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries at Bath Spa University. Previously, she worked at UWE Bristol as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the two-year Ambient Literature project, a collaboration between UWE Bristol, the University of Birmingham and Bath Spa University. Her research interests include digital writing, ambient literature, collaborative authorship and do-it-yourself cultural production. Amy is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction and is the author of DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture.
Amy is founder of The Writery where she has developed creative writing projects for underrepresented groups, including Bristol Biennial. She has particular expertise in project management and developing an inclusive approach to supporting participation in writing projects.
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