| Profile: |
 |
| I was told I could draw by my teacher (Miss Treleven) when I was just seven: she had entered my ‘Fairy Queen’ painting into a children’s local art competition and I remember winning a big box of paints and brushes; and, at age eleven, whilst on holiday in Italy I was asked to paint a picture on canvas to replace a wooden wall painting of Madonna and Child which had burned during street celebrations – I spent my six weeks’ holiday, in my Aunty’s best room, painting. After leaving school at 15 with no qualifications, a string of secretarial jobs which I hated (including training for the GPO as a telephonist), I married in 1967 at the tender age of 17, having become engaged on my sixteenth birthday. In order to keep up with the needs of my husband and three sons, I elected to work self-employed from home. Over the next 35 years I periodically purchased state-of-the-art publishing equipment and computer programmes to produce camera ready artwork for local publishers and organisations. The continual deadlines of publishing finally took their toll and in 2005 I decided to ‘retire’ from the publishing world. I spent my life savings to buy the latest equipment (of the day!), including a large format professional printer, so that I could produce my own limited edition prints and other saleable products in my own studio. My secret desire had always been to paint professionally, so, though self-taught, I took the plunge and turned professional artist in March 2005. My favourite subjects are natural history (especially common British birds) and botanical illustration. Recently I followed a course at the University of Cambridge to learn the art of illuminated lettering, using gesso and gold leaf to produce stunning effects on highly decorated lettering, following designs from the old craftsmen as far back as the sixth century AD. (click here to see samples of illuminated lettering) My childhood love of nature has been re-kindled since planting in 2004 a small ‘wild’ garden (20ft x 20ft) to provide live subjects. The little garden has been most successful with visits from many birds, frogs, newts, toads and all manner of insects. We have a resident hedgehog and wood mice. Black and grey squirrels also visit and ‘nick’ the bird seed. Wherever possible, I paint life-size using live specimens, or make up compositions from photographs I have taken myself or supplied by family and friends, and from ‘delights’ experienced during field trips - always aiming to compose and paint realistic images to capture the characteristics and nuances of flora and fauna. I am a member of the Marwell International Wildlife Art Society (MIWAS), the Society of All Artists (SAA), the Cambridge Natural History Society (CNHS), the Cambridge City Group of the Wildlife Trust and the RSPB, Sandy. In 2007, for the first time, I submitted three works to the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art (NEWA); two were selected for the exhibition, and I sold one. I also sold at the 2008 NEWA exhibition. In February 2008 I submitted five paintings to the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) Open Exhibition and all five were selected—two were sold. In 2009, I submitted my second set of five paintings to the SBA. Again all five were selected and I have been elected as an Associate member of the SBA. My first entry in the MIWAS 2008 10th Anniversary Exhibition was sold. Circa April 2009: work to be displayed in the The Darryl Nantais Gallery, 59 High Street, Linton, Cambridge, CB21 4HS |
