A MOSAIC artist has an exciting plan to introduce more people to her work and help others in the process.

Sarah Stanley, of Studley Grange Road, Hanwell, has been creating the mosaics for years and in September she gave up her role running a fork lift company to turn her talents into a business.

Although it is taking a lot of hard work to get it off the ground, the 45-year-old - one of three winners in our Local Business Accelerators competition - says the job suits her perfectly.

She said: "For me it's the perfect combination of both intellectual creativity and physical creativity, because you are thinking all the time and also able to use your hands. I find it very stimulating and although the cutting can be quite tricky, it can be almost meditative."

Ms Stanley, who has a studio in Johnson's Island, Brentford, says mosaics are more popular than people realise and can most often be seen in public places, such as schools and town squares.

She said: "There are about 10 just in Hanwell. Quite a lot of people make mosaics but there are less who make bespoke pieces for interiors and gardens. It suits my creativity better. Someone can come to me and say we've just decorated our house in turquoise, brown and beige and we'd like a piece of art up on a wall which reflects that. It has a mixture of textures, shininess and matt and can be designed around a particular shape.

"I use a range of materials, such as glass and marble and they're very durable. Romans made mosaics which are still around today, maybe in a few thousand years some of mine will be too."

She may have only been working full time for five months but she has already made an impact in the industry, being elected to the executive for the British Association for Modern Mosaics, which helps artists with everything from health and safety legislation to commissioning contracts.

As a Local Busines Accelerator winner, Ms Stanley hopes the prize of advertising and mentoring, from Ealing's Conservative Group leader and marketing expert David Millican, will help her expand her business, both to reach out to new customers and expand her workshop to provide a base for other artists.

She said: "There are a number of workshops around the country, I'd like to become one of the bigger ones. To have people working both for me and doing their own freelance work."

For more details visit www.sarahstanleymosaics.co.uk