Carmen(52)

I've been painting seascapes for thirty years. My work hangs in galleries in Amsterdam, Brussels and Copenhagen. But the light I was searching for — that dramatic, ever-changing coastal light — I finally found in Cornwall. St Ives has an artistic tradition dating back to the 1920s, with the St Ives School as a famous example.

The Global Talent visa in the arts and culture category was my route to the UK. Arts Council England assesses your application based on your artistic contribution. I sent a portfolio of my work, exhibition catalogues, reviews from art magazines and three reference letters from prominent curators. The endorsement came after six weeks — faster than expected.

Cornwall is one of the poorest regions of England, which means property is relatively affordable compared to the southeast. I bought a cottage with an outbuilding (my studio) in Zennor, near St Ives, for £320,000. The stamp duty was £6,000 plus the foreign buyer surcharge. The conveyancing process was frustratingly slow — five months from offer to completion.

As an artist I'm self-employed. I registered as self-employed with HMRC and do Self Assessment annually. My income comes from painting sales, commissions and workshops. The personal allowance of £12,570 tax-free is nice, and artists can deduct many expenses — materials, studio, travel for inspiration. I haven't yet reached the VAT threshold of £90,000.

The artistic life in Cornwall is richer than I had expected. Tate St Ives is a source of inspiration, there are dozens of independent galleries, and the artist community is close-knit. I've joined the Newlyn Society of Artists and exhibit regularly. The nature is overwhelming — the cliffs, the wild sea, the light that changes every hour.

The isolation is the downside. Cornwall is remote — London is five hours by train. In winter it's quiet and can be lonely. The local economy runs on tourism, which means everything is expensive in summer and dead in winter. But for me that silence is exactly what I need to paint. Cornwall isn't a place for everyone, but for an artist it's a paradise.