Her brightly-coloured canvases, like mini universes, swirl and coalesce into a multitude of rhythms and forms. Some are painted as a series, others are large stand-alone works, their intense acid colours akin to the palette of Russian avant-garde artist Marc Chagall. I went to visit Stella in her studio to find out more.

Over a cup of tea I ask her how she comes up with her ideas. "I generally start with a theme. A lot of galaxies come through in my work. A lot of where I am as a person comes through. Cheshire is incredibly inspiring. I don't want to sound airy-fairy, but there's a magic in the air here, what with Merlin and Alderley Edge."

So spirituality, legend and myth are major inspirations then?

"Absolutely! I'm working on a spring collection and a Celtic Legend Collection at the moment to bring that magnificent energy and mythic cornerstone of psyche into your home, including a series of works based on Celtic goddesses."

"Twenty two pieces make up each collection, with a limited edition print run of each painting - only 111 printed to collect worldwide, alongside the originals."

As well as her paintings, what's intriguing about Stella is her unusual accent - a mixture of down-home New Zealand and laid-back Californian drawl, a consequence of her career as a globetrotting film editor, working with director Sir Peter Jackson on the The Hobbit and spending a number of years in Hollywood.

"Though I don't sound like it, I was born in Macclesfield. The amount of comments I get like 'you're not from here, are you?' are quite amusing. I've ping-ponged around the world a bit - editing other's voices in the film industry and collecting up pieces and parts of myself - but it was just time to come home and use my own voice. I'm so excited about the path that is unfolding."

"I am to live in 'Transatlantica' - dividing my time between Cheshire and California. Cheshire for the magic and Hollywood to take that magic global."

I ask Stella how she started painting. "It's very spooky. I never considered being a painter. I've always been artistic, but it's only in the past couple of years that I decided, OK, I can do this. It's been really helpful having that Hollywood editorial background because you know wheat's needed to package up a message; to get it out clean and clear to the masses."

"The strange thing is, a lot of my first works were compositionally the same as a doodle I did on a blackboard on Guy Fawkes Night when I was 18 months old. It has lots of upward swooshes - like a firework burst - but I like to think it's a message of encouragement from my old self saying to keep going."

Stella gets up and shows me the very blackboard. Its freewheeling style is reminiscent of American Abstract Expressionist Cy Twombly. Not bad for an eighteen month old child! On the subject of famous artists, Stella counts Salvador Dali and William de Kooning as major influences.

I finish by asking Stella how her career as an artist is progressing.

"I paint every day and I'd be happy to chat about custom commissions for your space. A few have been coming in recently which has been wonderful and really fun - people show me a photo of their room, tell me the colours they'd like, size and theme, and off I go. I'll send progress pictures and incorporate feedback to create a bespoke original. I'd love to expand and collaborate with interior designers."

"I currently have two art exhibitions running in Macclesfield - one at Sarturday Gallery in Brunswick Mill and the other at Amy's Cafe and Gallery in Chestergade. I pop-up at the Maker's Market (in Wilmslow and other locales) with prints as well as the 'No Place Like Home' gift shop in Macclesfield.'

'Originals are always available through my website. Long term, as well as climbing the gallery ladder, I see my art as a home decor and giftware line - giving beauty to this world in an affordable and creative way. I have a few print-on-demand product options available on my site - cushions, mugs, phone-cases - and have just secured my first worldwide licensing deal with Caseable, a technology accessory company, so I'm on the way!"

Photos by Ailsa Bee Photography.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stella Lightheart.

Hi Stella, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Kia Ora to All!

I come from a little place called Transatlanticpacifica. That means that I was born in a tiny village in the United Kingdom, and then about halfway through my childhood, I got tugged to the opposite side of the world, New Zealand.

I eventually worked in NZ’s growing film industry, primarily as part of the editorial team on Sir Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. Working two jobs simultaneously, I spent my days with the Tolkien team and nights with the Flight of the Conchords folk making ‘What We do in the Shadows’.

From there, I traveled to San Francisco to work at Industrial Light and Magic.

Now, I divide my time between running my Los Angeles art business and working with Netflix Animation, which I genuinely love. I enjoy working on Storybots – a cute preschool show about the robots that live inside your computer.

One of my escapes from being a part of a nationally broadcast show is losing myself in my painting universe. It is the therapy of working in inks, pastels, and paints, where I transport myself to another world – or create one from scratch.

Every time I sit down with my inks, I enter a state of flow where all worries vanish, and I become one with my art. For me, painting is a form of meditation, channeling the feeling of a place or state. Whether it’s the energy of spring or the peace of a still forest, I strive to capture the subject’s essence in my work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I must be honest here because it’s integral to why and how I started painting. While New Zealand is a beautiful place, I found living there tough. I’d left most of my family in England, and while no one’s childhood is idyllic, mine was particularly icky.

I started painting as a form of therapy. I couldn’t truly express myself growing up – so it was through art that I could find some stable footing. There was a point where I’d become detached from the people I loved – art was the bridge that bought us all back together.

The paintings began as striped lines – then, as I relaxed, they evolved. From there, my art changed into abstract pieces, allowing me to go beyond words and express everything I was processing and integrating. Painting and reconnecting with family spurred so much growth. I was uncovering the real me and shedding old remnants of my less-than-idyllic childhood.

My paintings started getting attention in England and were featured in the local press and two local galleries. At that time, I didn’t reveal why I was painting – I kept it light in the articles as I sorted out my life. Baring all is new – and a relief.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Now that I’m back in California, feeding the neighbourhood squirrels daily, I’m focusing on adding structure to my work while keeping the Storybots train rolling.

One of my new series I’m excited about is a ‘Transformational Dance’ collection with figures bursting through my swirls of expressive abstract paint. I’m happy as this figural element takes my pieces to the next level.

My previous series of paintings focused on Celtic Goddesses. I’m intrigued that myths have existed since the dawn of time to help us make sense of our lives. I want all women to know that Goddesses are powerful; and that each of us woman have our inner Goddess! This set of paintings is for anyone who needs that energy to help and assist them on that journey of self-empowerment. It’s that empowerment that gives me a sense of pride.

If you ask me what sets my work apart from others, I hope and pray that it’s the energy behind each piece.

When something is made with love, it shows. I like to infuse as many good vibes into my pieces as possible. Not only that, but I truly believe there is some whispered magic behind All Art! It’s a whole other language that, somehow, we all know how to speak. Art therapy uses colour to explain the unexplainable in words, musicians use rhythms to communicate sensations, and poets juxtapose a language’s structure on the page for additional meaning. If it’s made with love, it shows…

Come the New Year, I’ll need to focus on the business side of my endeavours, figuring out how to better position myself within the Los Angeles art-heavy market (and the World)!

What matters most to you?
Bringing joy to others matters the most to me. If I can create a piece of art that makes a medical clinic feel just a little bit more tranquil, or if I can design a piece for an office that empowers, or if I can design a background for your phone that inspires you, as they say in New Zealand, I’m a happy camper.

I’m on a mission to sprinkle magic into everyday life — with art as my magic wand!