Me and My Art

Me and My Art

How I started painting, and how my work developed.

I suppose I started painting like every other child, scribbling and daubing and producing work rich with its secret meanings. As my grandfather was a professional photographer he was teaching me about light and shade and perspective from around the age of 7. How lucky was that? By secondary school art was the subject I loved best , but I was like many other budding artists persuaded to follow a more sensible and stable career at least that what's my parents advised. I became instead a teacher, a drama teacher and learnt about set design and painting. I worked as tryo at the Nuffield Theatre Southampton, enjoying the challenge of painting big with the biggest brush imaginable. For the next 20 years I worked in schools, ran youth theatre , worked with community groups and each summer, directed or, designed or acted in open -air Shakespeare productions. Lots of opportunity for designing and painting. Finally, before retiring to France in 1997, I ended up running my own drama studio, and working in Hampshire County Councils Educational Advisory service. Preparing for retirement I studied watercolour part - time. Watercolour being the only course still recruiting. A small brush and piece of paper came as a culture shock but I owe so much to that course tutor and the foundation those four years gave me. And then I came to France. And you'll have to wait for the next instalment I came to France almost 20 years ago in July 1997 armed with my brushes, watercolour paints and blocs of Arches Watercolour Paper. There was no shortage of subjects but painting alone without the connexion to a network, class or workshop was a very different matter than painting in Hampshire with lots of painting friends. I jumped at opportunity offered on a poster to join in an event known as" Les Peintres dans la Rue," which was taking place in Hautefort, a small town in the north Dordogne where there is a magnificent renaissance chateau hovering over the town on a huge rocky outcrop. Throughout France in the summer, these events can be found in villages and towns, especially if the venue is picturesque. Some offer prizes which are quite substantial,but all offer the chance to make friends and connexions- my modest goal. There were about twenty other local artists, all equipped with large brimmed hats and parasols. As the day wore on I understood why, and regretted that I had not been so sensible. I found them a cheerful international gathering, many of whom thankfully spoke English, and we all enjoyed a typical french lunch together in the garden of the local Auberge.. The event attracted a lot of interest and I found wet-on -wet watercolour quite difficult with all the distractions. It is a style of painting which requires the ultimate in concentration, but painting in plein air in temperatures of 80°+ , drying times are a challenge for any artist. Distracted by the heat , perspiring profusely( I think that's what ladies do) and finding one's most attentive spectators, the flies, a most unappreciated audience as they perched on the end of one's nose, I continued bravely until the heat began to wane around five o'clock . Then our efforts where delivered to the salle de fetes and the judges began their deliberations. The artists packed up with relish as there was a drinks reception waiting for them and the intensive atmosphere dissolved into the most sociable of occasions. The fruit cocktail was delicious and refreshing and no wonder I enjoyed it, I found afterwards it was Sangria! After the prizes were awarded the pictures were displayed for sale in a month long exhibition. I didn't win any prizes but I did go home with a list of names and telephone numbers and info on groups, courses, not to mention other such arts events. Some of those artists I met that afternoon are still friends. Mission achieved ,but when i got a phone call a week later I was very pleased that my modest watercolour of a street full of hollyhocks had sold. I wondered, had I arrived?
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Comments

A lovely story of your life which I enjoyed reading. I've just been looking at some of your work and it is excellent Barbara.