WITH a dad who is a successful businessman, Gemma Nelson had no illusions about how tough building a career can be.

And when that career is in the highly competitive art world, it was obvious Gemma had a steep learning curve ahead of her.

But at just 24, Gemma is already proving to be a talent to watch.

This bright, articulate young artist is clearly communicating where it matters – on canvas.

Her work has been seen in Liverpool as part of Bloomberg New Contemporaries which is run by Tate Modern.

It’s the most important annual exhibition of student and recent graduate work in Britain and has boosted the careers of many well-known artists from David Hockney to Damien Hirst.

Last year, 1,400 artists applied to have their work shown and Gemma was one of 57 selected to go on show in Liverpool and London.

“It’s fantastic. To show my work in that context is a real honour. It’s just amazing for my work to be seen though the eyes of galleries and art critics,” said Gemma.

“I’m over the moon with it. It means that what I’m doing is finally being seen.

“I was in the Mercury Art prize selections in 2007 and the Saatchi show. It confirms that what I am doing is OK.”

Gemma’s work has already been included in a number of exhibitions and dealers are eager to acquire her work. Both seem to signal a young artist whose talent is already making the art world take notice.

Though now living in London, Gemma is very much a Yorkshire girl with roots firmly in the area.

She went to Castle Hall School at Mirfield followed by Greenhead College and for the last four years, the Slade School of Art. Her talent has been nurtured at all three.

“Castle Hall was where I learned to paint. I won a competition when I was about 10 at Crow Lees using circles which is quite strange because that what I’m doing now. It’s a pointillism exercise.” At Castle Hall, they taught me how to shade and paint. I became obsessed with it and stayed after school to work. I got straight A’s for art throughout my time at school.

“Then I went to Greenhead College where things really took off. I was encouraged to be a bit looser in my work and I had a fantastic teacher there.”

It was clear where Gemma’s talents were taking her, but she knew how challenging a career as a professional artist would be.

“Dad wanted me to be a lawyer. He’s a photographer and he knew how difficult the art world is. He always used to tell me that I had to be the best in my class, the best in my year. He was actually testing me and pushing me at the same time.”

Gemma applied to all the big London art schools and opted for a four year course at the Slade. “We had amazing tutors coming in and talking to us about our work.

“I felt quite lost when I got there. It was quite scary coming from Huddersfield and knowing no-one and leaving everything behind.

“But my work progressed. I did a lot of installations and video work. I was plaiting plastic bags to make weblike structures.”

Those years at art school allowed Gemma to explore her talents and her imagination and to sift the many influences in her life – including those from her parents.

“My dad, Graham has a digital photography company. He does commercial photography for big companies such as B&Q. But he also did a lot of painting when I was younger. I think I realised that it was sort of all around me.

“We used to go to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and places like the butterfly house in Roundhay Park.

“My mum, Lindsay is creative too. She is a hair and make-up artist and lives in the Dales now.”

The only member of the family who doesn’t share that creative streak is Gemma’s brother, Luke.

“I’ve been lucky in that my dad is a businessman as well as an artist. From being about 14, he has pushed me to have a work ethic. I’ve had to think on my feet doing what I do and it’s been very good for that. I’ve had to get out there and network and sort things out for myself.

The major area that she has had to “sort” is in finding her own voice, her own way of expressing her world and what she sees around her. The result is craft-based, extremely intricate works which Gemma sees as landscapes and tapestries.

“I do a lot of sewing and tying things in my work. I’ve been trying to finish a two metres square canvas which has tiny flowers on it. Pieces take me about a month to make. It’s quite a lengthy process, it’s almost like a performance. I have to sit there obsessively working with these tiny, tiny things.”

Gemma’s work is already in demand and not just for exhibition. “I’m getting a lot of commissions and there are two guys in Mayfair battling to buy new pieces. I’m also doing a solo show in Portugal.”

As for her inclusion in the New Contemporaries exhibition in Liverpool, Gemma’s response says it all. “I’m over the moon. It is fantastic to have that recognition. It means that what I am doing is finally being seen.”

And that, after all, is what her work is all about.