Tell us a little about what you make
I am an artist. I paint mostly land/seascapes. I enjoy painting old buildings, farmsteads, castles and themes from old Welsh stories and legends.
What inspires you and where do you find that inspiration?
I was born in Pembrokeshire, and at 10 years old - We moved to Ceredigion.
The beautiful coastlines and countryside of these counties are naturally inspirational.
I studied interior design for three years and that gave me the interest in art. I was inspired by colour and light, and it gave me the practice of consistently making sketches and drawings.
Tell us about your favourite medium.
Acrylic paints are my favourite medium. I find them easy to work with - they dry quickly, and they are versatile and forgiving. They can be used thickly with a palette knife or really thinly. They can easily been painted over if you need to alter anything.
What are your favourite and least favourite parts of being an artist?
I, like many other artists just like to create - and spend all spare time painting or creating something.
I find paper work and book work really tedious.
What does being a member of Ceredigion Art and Craft Trail mean to you?
I have always worked on my own when painting, so I feel being a member of the Ceredigion art and craft trail, is an important opportunity to mix with other like minded people, who share the same interests and want to promote the wonderful arts and crafts produced in Ceredigion.
How do you manage a work life balance as an artist?
As a family we run a farm/park that is open to the public. I have a small grandson who I help to childmind.
I make time for painting either in the mornings when he goes to playgroup, or in the evenings.
I try and do most prep work in the mornings, and then just enjoy and relax painting in the evenings.
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment, I am experimenting with abstract, collage and layering techniques, which I am really enjoying. I see myself doing quite a lot of this in the future.
It is exciting and gives so much scope for the imagination.
How do you know when your work is finished.
I think, I instinctively know when my paintings are finished, but I usually look at it for a few days on the wall, just to see if anything needs to be altered.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist maker?
The biggest challenge is when you get ‘artist block’ and cannot decide what to paint next. You can waste so much precious painting time! To overcome this I have now started just painting lovely colour skies, then I see what develops.
What advice would you give to new artists at the start of their journey?
Just keep at it, relax, enjoy the colours and paint as often as you can.
