Hi! I'm Sarah

If you’re tired of following tutorials but still feel unsure when faced with a blank sheet of paper, the online Expressive Pathway Programme is designed to help you change that.

I’m a professional artist, author and teacher based in the UK, with more than 145,000 course enrolments worldwide.

For many years, I painted professionally for the world’s largest commercial gallery group, Demontfort Fine Art. I’ve exhibited my work, taught artists around the world and helped thousands of people become more confident and expressive in their own art.

But I also understand how frustrating it can be to complete lesson after lesson and still not know how to create something independently.

That is why I created the Expressive Pathway Programme.

This is not simply a collection of painting tutorials. It is a structured learning journey designed to help you understand why a painting works, make better creative decisions and develop the confidence to create artwork that feels genuinely yours.

My teaching is clear, practical and supportive. I break down drawing, tone, colour, edges, composition and expression into a process that you can understand, practise and apply to your own subjects.

You’ll also learn from Academy Artists Laura Jayne Smith, Jaime Moore, Andrew Hemming and Sharon Gibson. Each brings their own specialist knowledge, encouragement and carefully chosen projects to support your development.

Together, we’ll help you move beyond copying and guesswork, strengthen your artistic judgement and take your artwork further than you may currently believe possible.

Expression is the result, not the starting point

Telling someone to loosen up or enjoy the process doesn’t help if they’re unsure about their drawing, their tone, their colour choices, or what they should be focusing on at any given moment. In fact it can just stress them out even more, leaving them wondering why they’re not enjoying the process. Then they lose confidence and crippling inertia or “artist’s block” can set in. 

After breaking down the drawing and painting process that took my own work into high street galleries, luxury cruise liners and shops and helping thousands of students, I now teach a clear, repeatable way of working that removes guesswork from drawing and painting.

We put the fundamentals in the right order. Drawing comes first. Then tone. Then colour. Style comes later. This creates a calmer, more confident way of working, without second guessing or hoping a piece will come together.

You’ll work through a wide range of subjects, including tigers, lions, squirrels, hares and mice, alongside forests, woodlands and flowers. From there we move into seals, fish and flamingos, as well as sea and sky. And brand new for Summer 2026 is a top tier of advanced Summit classes on the Pathway in which you get to create considered animal and human portraits.This perfect for those of you who are ready to take your artistic journey to the next step!

From Following Tutorials to Creating Your Own Work

The focus isn’t on step by step copying. It’s on learning transferable skills that work across all wildlife subjects.

My mantra is that “if can paint a lion, you can paint a highland cow.” If you understand the process, you won’t need a new course for every animal. This is an investment in a method you can adapt, mould, and rely on, so you can make your own decisions and create your own work with confidence.

Now I’m not saying that the path is an easy one! You’ll be learning and relearning a tonne of new stuff. And you’ll need to practice those skills as you would the chords on a piano!

But when you understand how things work, and you get those fabulous light bulb moments, confidence follows. And when confidence is in place, expressiveness, looseness and your signature style will flow!

You’ll find that a world of subjects will await you … you’ll never feel that sense of inertia again … just momentum and excitement for the next piece!  

A small sample of the artwork produced by some of my students

And this is what they're saying...

Join the expressive pathway programme

 A YEAR OF LEARNING, CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT

INVESTMENT 

The Expressive Pathway is designed for artists who are ready to invest in their creativity and enjoy a structured programme of learning, support and encouragement.

Choose the option that suits you best:

STANDARD MEMBERSHIP

£49 per month for the first 12 months (£588).

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

£490 when paid annually, saving the equivalent of two months' membership.

FACE-TO-FACE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP

If you've previously attended a face-to-face class with Sarah Stokes or fellow Pathway tutors Laura Jayne Smith, Jaime Moore, Andrew Hemming or Sharon Gibson, you'll receive our special student rate of £35.00 per month for your initial 12-month commitment.

AFTER YOUR FIRST YEAR

After your initial 12-month membership, your subscription will automatically continue at just £25.00 per month.

This gives you continued access to:

• The growing library of core Expressive Pathway courses
• New core course releases
• The Inner Circle Community
• The Members' Vault
• Fortnightly live Zoom Q&A sessions
• Ongoing support and encouragement

Your continuation membership is completely flexible and can be cancelled at any time.

PEACE OF MIND

We're confident you'll love the Expressive Pathway, which is why every new member is covered by our 7-day money-back guarantee.

Join with complete confidence and explore everything the programme has to offer.

7-Day Money Back Guarantee

I want you to feel comfortable when you join.

Once you access the programme, you’ll have 7 days to look around properly and see if it’s right for you. If, for any reason, it doesn’t feel like a good fit, just email us within that time and we’ll refund you in full.

No quibbles. No awkward conversations.

I’d much rather you feel confident and supported than stuck in something that isn’t right for you.