Hi! My name is Laura, and I am a fully qualified UK teacher. Since September 2000, I have been teaching Italian and, later on, art subjects.

I first started to cultivate my passion for art at the age of 11, drawing seascapes from my native region of Abruzzo, Italy. I went on to study painting and history of art at the Liceo Artistico (Art School). In 1994 I moved to Urbino to begin my Undergraduate degree in Fine Art at the Accademia Raffaello. In my last year, I secured a place to study at the Facultad de Bellas Artes in the University of Granada in Spain, where I met many wonderful people from all over Europe - the perfect conclusion to my Undergraduate studies! Whilst in Granada, I was lucky enough to live in the Albacin, the historical Arabic quarter of the city. In my frequent visits to the Alhambra Palace, I fell in love with Moorish architecture and decorative arts. This new-found interest led me to a trip to Morocco, before going back to Italy. One of my favourite locations was Marrakech, with its earthy colours and beautifully decorated tiles, and the interplay of light and shadows in the winding streets of the Medina, a source of inspiration for any artist.

My travels offered me the chance to learn Spanish, and to practice my French in Morocco. These experiences were eye-opening, as they showed me the great potential embedded in language-learning, such as the opportunity to get to the heart of people. This led me to a desire to learn English, and sparked my decision to travel to the UK. In 2003, I graduated with a Master’s degree in Critical Histories of the Visual Image from De Montford University, Leicester. Doing something I loved, I soon found out, was the best way to learn a language.

My learning journey is ongoing, and I hope you will join me.

Ciao,

Laura