When Steve and Mita Higton met it was more than just romance that flourished. It kindled a life together as professional artists
Steve and Mita Higton’s house in Stradbroke is a hive of artistic endeavour.
Upstairs in their shared studio Steve paints oil landscapes – mostly based around the East Anglian coast, which he loves – while Mita produces stunning watercolours across a range of subjects, from portraits to landscapes to florals.
Their work adorns the walls throughout the house and on Fridays, their open plan dining/living area doubles as a classroom and workshop where Mita teaches students eager to follow her example.
And why not? Despite both being self-taught, Mita and Steve enjoy considerable success with their art, taking commissions and exhibiting at galleries in East Anglia and beyond, including Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh and Pakefield in Suffolk, Holt and Blakeney in Norfolk, Great Dunmow in Essex, and Devon and Cornwall.
While Steve has painted for his own enjoyment all his life, Mita only took it up at the age of 40 when she was living in Dubai. The couple met in 2002 and discovered that among the many things they had in common was a shared love of painting. Things really took off for them when they moved to the US for a couple of years and joined a local art group, exhibiting and selling their work.
Returning to the UK, they wanted somewhere to live that would inspire them.With its stunning scenery, big skies and open landscapes, plus its rich artistic heritage Suffolk was the answer.
Mita now belongs to Norfolk and Norwich Art Circle (NNAC) and is an Associate Member of the Institute of East Anglian Artists. Her work was selected for the Society of Women Artists 2012 Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London and the Institute of East Anglia Artists (IEA) Open Exhibition in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Several of her paintings have received awards including Minsmere Reeds, which received the Society of All Artists Artist of the Year 2012, in the Best Professional Landscape and Woodland Scene category.
Steve is inspired by East Anglian artists such as Edward Seago, something that comes through clearly in his work.
He is a member of the East Anglian Marine Artists, and as a member of SAA has won several awards including Best Landscape, Best Professional Sea and Waterscape. Two of his paintings were purchased for the House Of Lords Permanent Art Collection in 2011. n
Steve Higton will be showing his work at Aldeburgh Gallery July 9-15 and September 3-9. You can see Mita Higton’s work at The Quay Gallery, Snape Maltings June 26-July 2 and September 11-17.
