A little bit of background...
Four years at Art College in the seventies were quickly followed by family life and family business, later primary teaching and now finally, time to devote to painting.
The youngest of three girls with an architect father and a very creative mother, it was natural that we would all learn how to make things. Mum could turn her hand to anything, but was a particularly talented embroiderer and taught each of us to sew.
Family events, especially weddings, we all made our own dresses and bridesmaids dresses,while mum baked and decorated the cakes, did the flowers, she even made her own hat once when she couldn't find the colour she wanted! Basically, in our house, if you wanted something, you usually made it yourself.
This has given me an enduring love of craft, varied interests that nurtured my creative side throughout my working life. Now though, the fabrics and beads have been put to one side. I am delighted to spend the great part of my time brushes in hand, the radio on and that all important light streaming onto some heavy-duty watercolour paper. Bliss...
The back story
Which brings me to...
Warwickshire is a beautiful county, and we recently moved to a village after spending many years sharing our time between Leamington Spa and the South of France.
As we settle into a more rural way of life, the countryside around us and the changing seasons are a constant source of inspiration and much-needed balm for the soul. In our new home, I am doubly fortunate as, for the first time, I have a dedicated studio space, where I hope, in future, to be able to offer workshops and courses, as well as inviting visitors to view the small gallery.
At the moment, I only work in watercolour, but am beginning to experiment with other media. I first discovered watercolour after we began spending so much time in France. A weekly class where the teacher was 'trés sympatique' and a great admirer of the english watercolourists - she led us through exploratory exercises and encouraged me to experiment. I have always loved the slightly random effects that happen with watercolour, so I can happily play around with colours and water for hours on end.
As I begin to settle into my new studio and to fully embrace the possibilities of acrylics and inks alongside my beloved watercolours, I'll try to share my journey on my blog, which you can sign up to here.