Ian Gardiner

Ian spent many years owning and running nightclubs in Nottingham and Leicester where he acquired an deep interest in the Arts and Culture. During this time he learned many skills in staging performances, promotion, Graphic Design and business. During a break in this career Ian worked at Paul Smith as a pattern cutter and decided that he should follow a childhood interest and pursue an education in Fashion achieving a Foundation Degree in Fashion technology from New College Nottingham, where he upgraded his skills in Fashion Illustration using current software and fine tuned his skills in Design, Pattern Cutting and Garment Manufacture. As a Father to 3 young children Ian decided to uses these skills to enter a career in Teaching gaining a P.G.C.E.(F.E.) and taught Art & Design, Fashion, Graphic Design and Illustration for 10 years at South East Derbyshire College and Ilkeston School. During this time he developed skills in Animation, and Film production which he also now uses in his work. Since 2010 he has, alongside his wife and partner, Tricia, co-ran Greenshoots. Ian believes deeply that young people learn more effectively by being challenged to reach achievable goals and is committed to implementing that ethos through his continued work on Greenshoots' projects.