About

Serendipity led me to paint by the Aegean on a retreat-come-holiday at a place I think of as "Hippy Holiday Camp."

At the welcome event I discovered that my chosen activities were all scheduled for the the afternoons, leaving me wondering how I would spend my mornings. Next day I felt drawn to the open-air studio among the fig trees, immediately captivated by the flow of paint, I stayed. One morning we went to the local taverna for breakfast and to paint. The landlord wanted to buy my painting for his home. Taken aback, I wouldn't take his money but swapped my watercolour seascape for an ornament his wife had made with shells and a broken mirror.

The holidays over, winter came and I spent my days working in a dingy, fluorescent lit building. The gloomy commute to and from work left me longing to be outdoors, riding my horse or back by the sea. To escape the dark January and February evenings after work I painted the places I’d rather be

I used my leave to paint in Cornwall and in Italy, making treasured friendships with artists who encouraged me to paint. Paper, watercolours, brushes and an easel took over my cottage kitchen so I built a tiny garden studio where I could finally try out oils and acrylics, working more vigorously on bigger pieces and making a proper mess of the floor and walls!

Home alone during the 2020 lockdowns with plenty of time, I was perfectly content, creating art had become central to my life and I never went back to commuting. Instead I began to look for studio space. In October 2023 I was invited to join White Horse Arts in a space we are developing as a local hub for visual arts.

I recently completed two years of study with Newlyn School of Art – a rewarding and challenging process of developing my practice, reflecting on my work and honing my critical thinking.

Artist photo by Michael Angove