Meet the team!
Since 2015, Studio 48 has been a different kind of art studio in Edinburgh - playful, confident, and focused on helping students create and grow. Our talented teachers are passionate about inspiring confidence and sharing techniques, whether you want to learn new skills or reconnect with your creativity.
They’re experts at teaching a wide range of methods - drawing, painting, digital art, animation, and more - with clarity, encouragement, and a bit of fun along the way. Together, our team creates a dynamic, supportive environment where you bring your ideas to life.
We’re here to help you unlock your creative potential. Want to meet the people behind it? Keep reading!
I founded Studio 48 in 2015, when my daughter was just one year old. With over 20 years of experience in the arts, I bring a practical, creative approach to teaching and making. I graduated from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen in 1999 with a BA (Hons) in Design and Craft, then went on to earn my Masters in Product and Furniture from Edinburgh College of Art in 2007.
My work has been exhibited internationally, with pieces in LA, Dubai, the Netherlands, Singapore, and New York. I’ve also exhibited regularly at the Affordable Art Fairs, connecting with a wide audience and showcasing my diverse practice. I love teaching—especially kids—and believe everyone can unlock their creativity with the right guidance and a bit of fun.
I’m proud of the team I’ve built around me—talented, passionate, and inspiring. Together, we create a space where experience, passion, and playfulness come together to help everyone make something extraordinary. I also combine my fabrication skills with love of materials to create unique, beautiful pieces—using bendy ply, gold leaf, and whatever inspires me. I take commissions and enjoy turning ideas into one-of-a-kind art.
Follow me on Instagram @sallyannjohns to see my latest work!
Hi, I’m Anna, one of the team members at Studio 48!
I’m a illustrator from San Francisco, now living and freelancing in Edinburgh. After graduating from Savannah College of Art, I made the move to Scotland and have been part of Studio 48 since the start of 2024. It’s been an absolute joy of working here, where I get to collaborate with both kids and adults, creating art and hanging out with Levi the studio pup.
My illustration celebrates nature and portraiture, with a focus on movement, organic shapes, and the beauty of natural elements. I primarily illustrate book covers, with a particular passion for young adult fantasy and sci-fi novels. When I’m not at Studio 48, you can usually find me working from my home studio, where I share the creative space with my cat Sammy and my gecko Piggy.
View my art on Instagram @annadittart or visit my website at annadittmann.com!
Hi! I’m Eesha Dusad, an Indian-born artist currently based in Glasgow. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Design, which gives me a unique perspective by blending scientific understanding with creative expression.
After completing my undergraduate studies in India, I moved to Scotland to pursue formal art education at the Glasgow School of Art, where I earned a Master of Letters (MLitt) in Fine Art Practice. This experience has deepened my exploration of the intersection between psychology and visual art, resulting in works that provoke thought and encourage meaningful discourse.
I work across multiple mediums—oil paints, acrylics, and clay—and create pieces that challenge viewers to engage with complex ideas and emotions. Over the past year, my work has focused on the intricacies of societal norms surrounding beauty, particularly exploring themes related to bodies and perception. This is especially connected to my own experiences growing up as a mid-sized person in a culture that often equates a girl’s worth with being thin. Through these explorations, I aim to foster conversations that go beyond the canvas, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences and understanding of the world around them.
You can find my work on Instagram @edsha.art!
Hi, I’m Kirsty Penny! Originally from Edinburgh, I moved to Leeds to study Fine Art at Leeds Arts University, where I graduated with First-Class Honours in 2023. Since then, I’ve returned to my hometown and now work from my home studio near Leith.
My journey as an artist gained early recognition when my first-ever oil painting was shortlisted for the Scottish Portrait Awards in 2021. Since then, my work has continued to evolve, focusing on capturing the beauty and joy in life’s seemingly mundane moments that can easily be missed in our busy, preoccupied lives.
My art explores themes such as family relationships, dinner times, and childhood moments. I use various materials, including oil paint and oil pastels, to create bold, expressive pieces that highlight the special but subtle moments that are part of life. Whether through simple drawings or large-scale detailed works, my art is filled with vibrant colour and energy, creating powerful pieces that also aim to bring comfort in an overwhelming world.
You can find my work on Instagram @kirstypennypaintings or visit my website at kirstypenny.com!