The Wiltshire-based painter on how she returned to art after a career break.
When did you realise you wanted to become an artist?
I began at the age of four. I did a drawing of a house that swung my first school interview at the age of seven. The headmistress took one look at my picture and said, “That’s the girl for us.” I stayed in school until I was 18, studying art all the way through, and I was inspired by very good teaching. After school, I did a degree in fine art, history of art and education at Homerton College, Cambridge University.
When did you become a full-time artist?
After graduating, I taught A-level for four years before travelling with my husband. I began painting full-time after we returned to England. I was fortunate because my husband could support me financially, which gave me time to get the ball rolling. I was about 27 when I had my first solo show, and it all kicked off from there.
I kept going until I was 30. I had just had a baby when my father died, and the combination of those things was too much to continue painting. It’s so hard to be creative when you’re unhappy, so I just focused on the baby and my family. I didn’t work on my art for a long time.
When did you return to painting?
Denne historien er fra January 2019-utgaven av Artists & Illustrators.
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Denne historien er fra January 2019-utgaven av Artists & Illustrators.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Still life IN 3 HOURS
Former BP Portrait Award runner-up FELICIA FORTE guides you through a simple, structured approach to painting alla prima that tackles dark, average and light colours in turn
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Through an analysis of three masterworks, landscape painter and noted author MITCHELL ALBALA shows how you can animate landscape composition with movement
Shane Berkery
The Irish-Japanese artist talks to REBECCA BRADBURY about the innovative concepts and original colour combinations he brings to his figurative oil paintings from his Dublin garden studio
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Washes AND GLAZES
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Hands
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Vincent van Gogh
To celebrate The Courtauld’s forthcoming landmark display of the troubled Dutch master’s self-portraits, STEVE PILL looks at the stories behind 10 of the most dramatic works on display
BRING THE drama
Join international watercolour maestro ALVARO CASTAGNET in London’s West End to paint a dramatic street scene
Serena Rowe
The Scottish painter tells STEVE PILL why time is precious, why emotional responses to colour are useful, and how she finds focus every day with the help of her studio wall
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