Why do I paint?

I have always been fascinated with how my creative pursuits have lifted me psychologically out of the mundane humdrum of daily existence. I feel alive, sometime ecstatic when occupied in the process of some creative project. I paint with a passion, I am truly happy when I have five paintings on the go, to think about when I am driving and dream about in the half-awake hours of the early morning. Only when painting am I truly in the present and focused on the task at hand. Time seems to speed up, stand still and then slip away; painting is a form of meditation. For me, painting is my medium for expressing my deepest thoughts, emotions and ideas.

My hands have always been busy; I spent a few years creating wall hangings and children’s toys from pieces of fabric and other found items. I had an eternal longing to paint but needed to learn the technical aspects of applying paint to the canvas. Various artists have been so generous with sharing their knowledge. Initially my paintings were very ordinary still lives, landscapes and figures. I desperately wanted to learn how to express myself in an individual way and I wanted my paintings to say something about who I am and how I feel.

I felt very fortunate to be amongst the group of artists that participated in the workshops conducted by Judith Mason. I was insecure and out of my depth at the time, but have come to realise how much my way of painting has progressed since these workshops. Judith opened up a door for me and I walked through.