What at first seemed an unlikely pairing when they met at Chelsea School of Art in 1973, would prove to be the start of a long personal and professional partnership for Philippa Eluem and John Pullen. Philippa, whose biological father was Nigerian, did not have direct connection to her origin due to life circumstances. Driven by her sense of loss, she went to Nigeria upon graduation. John, who had a long standing respect for the craftsmanship of Renaissance artists and artisans, was eventually prompted to leave Chelsea in his final year to train as a marble mason.

After 18 months in Nigeria, Philippa returned, with a renewed perspective on her cultural identity. She reunited with John, who persuaded her to visit the Lake District for the first time in autumn 1981, and the pair became immediately drawn to the area and moved north in search of a much needed fresh start.

It was in Cumbria that they raised a family and overcame Philippa's traumatic mental breakdown, while designing and building the region's first and award winning early years centre which they continued to manage for the next 16 years. The natural environment which played a pivotal part in Philippa's recovery, involving the couples’ daily exploration of the Lakeland fells in all weathers, also had a profound effect upon their art work. During the conceptualisation of an environmental nursery, they embarked on the journey to become full-time artists again. They had also realised a new emotional strength which enabled them to challenge themselves artistically.

Philippa had been impressed by the abstraction and geometric patterning which is a characteristic of indigenous West African art and design. While working for the University of Ibadan, she was able to experience at first hand many of the examples she had previously only read about.

John, on the other hand, had reached something of an artistic 'crossroads'. His earlier enthusiasm for sculpture was gradually being redirected towards painting. He is motivated by a desire to present another version of botanical art which can be appreciated from both a factual as well as a metaphorical perspective.

Today Philippa Eluem and John Pullen work 'in tandem' – quite literally on the same painting. A shared history involving years of intimate exchange and collaboration has resulted in the two artists developing a heightened sensitivity to each others artistic 'moves'. Mysteriously, this enables them to intuitively improvise and complement the others’ skills and techniques.