In the Beginning

I have always dreamed of being a "natural" artist, for me that is being able to have a thought or a vision and paintting it, not necessarily including lots of detail or  being 100% accurate, but to create an impression which tells a story.  So anyway, I've never really had the courage to put pencil, brush and paint to paper and just have a go ...

... until now!

I don't consider myself particularly good at drawing or painting, but believe my desire to express my thoughts, feelings and visions  in this way is strong enough to try it. The opportunity came for me, to begin exploring different mediums and styles of art, following a spinal operation I had in February this year.  I was told I would need to have a long period of rest and recovery time following the surgery, which meant I couldn't go to back work for some time. Knowing I was going to have this time allowed me to plan and make decisions as to what I could do to keep busy, but still rest as I didn't want to vegetate and sit around doing nothing.  So for me that seemed like the perfect time to begin my journey.

I begun using acrylic paints to produce abstract pictures, along with stamping, collage and wax mediums. I also added quotes and words, which gave more expression to each piece. However, the results, to me, seemed contrived and didn't quite conjure up the feelings I'd hoped for when producing my own piece of art.  That's not to say I wasn't reasonably happy with some of the pieces I had done!

You see, when I was in my twenties, which was many years ago!, I had a go at painting botanical pictures using watercolours and enjoyed the detail and delicate results I achieved. However, having experienced using watercolour paints in this way, I knew that this wasn't a style I wanted to use now, but was keen to explore using watercolours again, but this time more loosely.

I decided I was going to start by keeping an art journal and began to produce sketches then paint in watercolours, which I did on a daily basis.  I am really happy with the results and by just having this feeling of being pleased, tells me that I've found a style which brings me closer to becoming a "natural" painter.

Here is my first attempt at mixed media journaling, inspired by my twin and mum, who are both so talented and creative.