Hi there, my name is Rebekah Sunshine & I set up The Wooden Box Gallery in December 2021. As an artist myself, I wanted to create a mixed space; a place where I could continue to make my paintings but also a place that showed the work of professional & amateur artists regardless of background, age, type of work or reason for making work. I have been proud to host shows that are interesting, exciting & unusual all right on Ramsgate High Street.

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I started making art from childhood, using anything that could make a mark on any surface that could hold a mark; from sticks drawing in mud to betting shop pens on the back of an old receipt! Such was my love of drawing that the highlight of my year was getting a new pack of felt tip pens & a drawing pad each Christmas. As a young teen, I would skip school to spray walls in underpasses or when brave enough venture into the City Art Gallery in Southampton. When the staff chased me out, I'd hide in the library next door. Amongst the art books I found inspiration and finally a sense of belonging in the lives, ideas and works of the artists whose works were in the books. In my head it was like visiting my friends.

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From then it's been a long story with many twists and turns, taking jobs that allowed me time & money to continue making art. Finally at age 50 I was able to become the full time Artist I always wanted to be! Now, with the gallery, I hope to inspire & extend opportunities to others who also are on their own creative & expressive journey. 

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It has been an exciting 4 year delicious rollercoaster which has included opening a Community Coffee Shop, opening a framing studio, employing 17 people, winning an award for Excellence in Work Experience Provision (10 work experience placements), being shortlisted for an award by Ramsgate Society for our shopfront design & high regeneration work.  We've worked with 10 different schools & colleges, numerous community groups, held 3 different type of art classes, given exhibition space to over 100 artists with 4 of them who came here as novices now being represented by international galleries.