How it all Began

Early work - in the style of Derain

I am quite excited about having a blog, it took me a while to decide to go for it and now I am glad I have.

Today's post is going to be a bit more of an introduction to me and how my art developed.  I shall try to be brief and perhaps elaborate in later posts if necessary.

Of course, like many artists, I enjoyed art as a child and showed promise.  Like many others also, I was discouraged by my parents to study art at exam level and had to take other subjects at school.  I still drew and painted occasionally in my spare time, but I also enjoyed many other arts and crafts. 

It was while investigating spinning and weaving, that I decided I wanted to understand colour and an opportunity arose for me to take a beginners art class at a local college.  Sometimes the right person comes along at the right time and the course was led by a wonderful teacher.  Her name was Jane and she taught me so much.  She obviously realised some potential in me and brought it out.  My art was still very basic in those days, but I began to understand tone and form and I was introduced to many different media, many of which I had never tried before.

Oh dear, I am not being very brief here, am I? OK, will try harder!
The course ended and I passed and came away with a renewed passion for art intending to study it further at a college locally.  The timing wasn't quite right for me, because my then husband's job moved us far away to Scotland, where I remain to this day as I have fallen in love with the country and its people.  

Life Painting in Watercolour

I attended a life drawing class run by the local university and I also attended a watercolour class run by a very talented husband and wife team.  I was learning so much and enjoying it immensely, but I still wanted to take it to a higher level and study art at college.  I remember sending away for a prospectus for a fine art degree at one of the best universities in the country and when I got it, I saw the work in there and thought "I couldn't possibly do that", so I put the brochure away.

Sometimes things just happen right, though. Again, one of those serendipitous meetings (at the local cattery of all places), introduced me to an art course run by another fabulous teacher.  Two years  of hard work and a lot of learning really brought my art up to a standard that even I was happy with.  Finally the life drawing practice began to pay off as the figure became easier and with that an improved confidence in general.  I now began to think about applying to that university that I had felt unworthy of two years before.  In the meantime, I took a full-time portfolio preparation course at college and with great trepidation applied to the university.  I got in and four years later graduated with an honours degree in fine art. 

Life Study at University

Over those four years, my studies took me through drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and even film.  My graduation piece was an installation including film.  Nothing like I would have expected all those years ago when I began my art journey.

During this period though, my home life hadn't been so easy, my marriage had broken up and finances were very tight, so my initial intention of studying further to masters level had to be shelved while I found work.

Now I can manage financially and I work on paintings and photography in my spare time.  I exhibit and sell locally and am really happy to continue to explore art and grow as an artist. 

Contemporary Pear - Watercolour

I am currently investigating a masters degree through open learning as I know I have so much more to discover about art.

My next post will be about the title of my blog - why "Walk Paint Walk"?