My story began over 50 years ago, the youngest and most spoilt of five children.  My artistic journey began in my junior school, when tasked with completing an entry in a road safety colouring competion.  I already knew to keep the colour inside the lines, but my teacher demonstrated the improvements achieved with all lines going in the same direction, and then (gasp) creating fuller shapes by rounding the direction of the coloured lines.  Fast forward through primary school to my O'Level Art class where the teacher shared with us the most incredible book, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" by Betty Edwards.  This drawing course introduced negative space, proportions, vertical and horizontal lines and so much more.  My skills accelerated with pencil, pastels and charcoal.  Oil was eventually introduced - but I didn't take to the medium, reverting back to pastels whenever I could.  My teaching degree at university allowed us to major in art, and I continued to improve my drawing skills, alongside a bit of watercolour dabbling and even cross-stitch, but from then until moving to Spain due to ill-health, my artistic demonstrations were restricted to teaching primary aged children the skills to begin their own artistic journey (including perfecting their colouring in by rounding out the lines!)  In fact, I still have some gifted paintings from former students on my wall.

Moving to Spain had the benefit of meeting and joining the most amazing art group, led my awesome teacher, Hanka van de Flier.  I have been given the freedom to explore themes, artists, techniques and compositions under expert tutelage.  From the first tentative strokes of a forgotten skill, to completing paintings worthy of an exhibition, my art mornings are "me time".  Time to immerse myself in creativity, time to block out anxieties over my  ailments and time to continue my artistic journey.