Chef who made name baking cakes turns hand to painting landmarks

Louise Stuart, who is well-known throughout Northwich and Winsford for her cake-making skills had no idea she could even paint until she picked up a brush and gave it a go.

The 49-year-old, who ran the popular Caked in Sugar business before selling it several years ago, said she had been really surprised by the reaction to her paining of St Chad's Church.

Louise's painting of St Chads church in Winsford

“My daughter was really impressed, posted it on a Facebook community page,” she said.

“I was really surprised it got as many likes and comments as it did.

“Some people even said how it took them back to relatives that are no longer with us, that have been through marriages and christenings, which I thought was really lovely.

“People have been asking if it’s possible to do any prints, so if it is, it would be nice to do that and perhaps sell them for a cause like Ukraine.”

Louise Stuart made her name baking beautiful cakes

Although new to painting, Louise has always had an artistic side from her days making cakes and teaching sugar craft at the Crosshatch Gallery – which is how her journey began.

“I’d make things like Disney characters,” she said.

“The couple who run it are both artists and there was this beautiful picture in there of a stag in a snow scene and I thought – ‘I’ll buy that next time I come in’.

“But when I went back, someone else had bought it, so I thought, ‘I’m going to have a go at doing it myself’.

“So, when I was in lockdown, I did just that and it wasn’t too bad, so I did a few more.”

Sunset over Winsford with the houses of Ledward Street in the background

Ten paintings later, Louise is keen to encourage others to give things a try.

“Don’t ever think you can’t do something until you’ve tried,” she added.

“There was no way in the world I would have though I could paint a picture until I tried.

“How do you know you can’t do something unless you give it a try?”