About The Artist
(Testimonials below)
My Brief Story
I have loved art and being creative for as long as I can remember. My mum kept a detailed drawing I did when I was just 4 years old. The best presents as a girl were always brand new felt tip pens and plenty of paper.
In high school, art was my favourite subject and I was always inspired by the enthusiasm of my art teacher. I intended on furthering my art education upon leaving school but unfortunately, life took me on a different path.
This comes as a surprise to many people who know me, I fell into a career as a contract manager in the nuclear industry. I worked hard, gained a degree in Business Studies whilst working full time and I had my first child. I had many amazing experiences during my 15 year career as a contract manager but during all that time, I never felt fulfilled, there was always something missing.
Upon the birth of my second child, I took voluntary redundancy from the nuclear industry and sought a role where I could help people. I quickly became pregnant with my third child and began a new life as a doula (a woman who supports women and their families before, during and after childbirth). I was privileged to support nine women during their births, each birth being very different. These memories shall always remain precious to me.
Unfortunately, at my last doula client’s birth in 2007, I suffered a spinal injury. My role as a doula came to an abrupt end and permanent disability ensued. I suffered from depression for a while as I adjusted to my new set of circumstances. In 2009 we moved from near Bolton (my hometown) to be near my husband’s family in mid Wales on the border with Shropshire to gain extra physical and emotional support. My husband, children and I fell in love with our beautiful rural surroundings.
In 2010 my husband suggested I take up a hobby just for me to try and help with my depression. Immediately I set about finding an art course. I’m a regular Twitter user and asked my Twitter friends in Shropshire if they could help me find a course, which they duly did.
I commenced an evening course in oil painting and my creative juices began to flow once again. I absolutely loved it. I shared my artwork on Twitter and gained such a positive and supportive response from people. So much so that people asked to buy my paintings. I really didn’t expect that to happen.
So, after picking up a paint brush, my whole outlook on life is so very different and so very positive. I’m a true believer in things happen for a reason and if it wasn’t for my spinal problems, I wouldn’t have found art again.
Living in the countryside has inspired my love of painting landscapes and skies. I feel so at peace when I paint. I said that I always felt something was missing in my life however, as soon as I began painting, that final piece of the jigsaw of my life slotted into place. I feel very blessed to be able to pursue my love of art once again with the support of my amazing family.
I have now become a successful artist selling many of my paintings and completing several commissions for clients across the UK.
I live with my very supportive husband, Gary, my three lovely children, and our cat Scaredy.
Artist's Statement
I paint and draw because I find it very therapeutic, it is an alternative pain relief for me and I feel totally at peace. Although I have loved art and being creative since I was a little girl, only now do I have the freedom to explore my yearning to paint on a blank canvas or draw on a blank sheet of paper. Who would have thought that my re-lighted passion would be borne out of disability.
I chose to work with oils initially because I had never used them before, I wished to experience something new. I have found them very forgiving and easy to manipulate. I prefer to use brushes when I work because I love to blend colours and create textures. The images I choose to paint are taken from various photographs that family, friends or I have taken of landscapes and skies which I find the most inspirational. I then interpret those images in my own style and I know when a piece is finished when I have perfectly blended the colours together to form the overall scene. I have found my own unique style at a very early stage. My style is impressionistic with some surreal qualities on occasion, and it is recognisable by those that view my work.
Every painting I undertake, whether it be my own creation or a commission, I find it to be an enjoyable challenge because no two paintings are the same. I love colour and especially to blend colours which perhaps aren't always seen together. I want to capture the tranquillity and dream-like quality of a scene or landscape because that is how I feel when I paint.
Caricature courtesy of Chris Ryder www.wittypics.co.uk
Testimonials via FreeIndex
 Member of Total Art Soul
http://www.totalartsoul.com |  Member of Artists & Illustrators
http://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk |
