Last updated 15:11, Friday, 27 June 2008

MOTHER and son, Ann and David Holmes, had both come to a stage in their lives where they were ready for a career change. Both of them being artistically inclined, they set about looking for a new venture in which they could use their talents and turn it into a business.

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head for design: David at work on a crash helmet

Ann, 56, was a machinist and upholsterer for Linden Upholstery but in her spare time her love of arts and crafts led her to study an arts foundation course at Workington Technical College.

“When I completed my foundation course in art I felt lost as there was nothing else for me to do,” she said.

“Arts and crafts had always been a hobby of mine, so I decided to continue with it on a more professional level. I finished my job and began studying full-time.

“I started a BA degree in Fine Art. The first year of the course was spent studying at Lakes College, who were in partnership on the course with Carlisle College.

“The second year saw me through at Carlisle every day; but I loved it so much I went on to study the MA degree which went on for another two years.”

At the same time Ann’s son, David, was also training at Lakes College, as a mature student on a mechanics course. But when the time came for him to find employment, David struggled, with most employers looking for younger mechanics.

The notion of starting up their own business was suggested, and David even considered opening up his own garage but the process was made difficult with the lack of suitable premises.

David, 28, said: “We talked a lot about starting our own business; Mam and I had come to a stage together where we were looking to do something different with our careers.

“Having my own garage was another option I had thought about. I had always loved cars and messing about with my own but it was becoming frustrating having a trade and not being able to use it.”

As a springboard, Ann had taken on a teaching post for adult education at venues around Allerdale, until it was suggested to Ann and David they contact the Ways into Self Employment programme.

They were referred to Alison Marr, an adviser for the programme, who thought the idea of both Ann and David starting up businesses together would be an excellent opportunity.

The pair were helped with finding premises and developing business plans and received a start-up grant from the West Cumbria Development Agency.

“We worked together to set the businesses up,” explains Ann.

“And as we’re two new businesses, we can still access the help available to us with Alison and the team at Ways into Self Employment.”

The two businesses, Moss Bay Arts and S3 Customs, began trading last November, with the whole process of setting up taking seven months.

David’s customisation business deals mostly with car designs but the display of work in the workshop presents a talent of customising anything and everything.

“Customisation is where my interests lie; I must just have a natural talent and love of art as I didn’t take art beyond what was on offer at secondary school,” David continued.

“I love experimenting with different designs and techniques and I’ve painted or sprayed anything from motorbikes to cars, helmets and even had a request from a customer to paint a Lake District scene on her suitcase.”

For Ann, the predominant part of her business is community art workshops but her paintings and prints are sold in the workshop alongside her son’s work.

“I thoroughly enjoy the community aspect to my work; it was my intention to continue this from the beginning.

“I take my supplies and equipment to wherever I’ll be teaching, which means huge flexibility for the community groups that I work with.

“But having a base here in the town centre means we’ve really been able to showcase our abilities and business has really good.

“We’ve both started to consider expanding already as David, in particular, needs more workspace for his business and this is his one chance to make a future for himself.

“We could both do with more space to make more noise and mess and larger premises would mean more service for our customers.

“I have now started offering a picture framing service both for my own paintings and ones which customers bring with them.

“Setting up our own businesses has been hard work and it will continue to be for as long as we want to make a success of it.

“But if it wasn’t for the Ways into Self Employment programme we would both still be at the ‘thinking about it’ stage; they really made things happen for us. Their help has been invaluable to us.”

Ann and David’s hopes for the future see expansion plans, new websites for selling stock online and more staff to cover a range of different services.

For more information on Moss Bay Arts or S3 Customs call Ann and David on 01900 872002 or to see examples of David’s work visit www.s3customs.com