Parrot from a painting
I retired from the library service in June 2022. I had worked in libraries since 1984, starting there as a Saturday and relief library assistant. I qualified with a BSc (Econ) Honours from University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1999 and after a few years became a Library Manager in public libraries.
In the lead up to retiral, I semi retired working only two days a week for 18 months. I went to art classes at a studio in Sheriffmuir with artist Charlotte Anker during this free time and embarked on an evening art course at Forth Valley College with artist Lesley Ann Derks.
I had taken art at school and really enjoyed it but working full time had put paid to the chance of following this creative path and school was very much in the past. Of course as a librarian I had marketing as a big part of my remit, and organising book festivals gave me a fair bit of design and social media experience. I knitted quite a bit in my spare time and as a young mother and homemaker I was forever trying to make new cushion covers and curtains.
I really took to working with paints and drawing again and I found I really loved it. So when I fully retired I looked for a daytime course in Art and Design and found the HND Art and Design at Forth Valley College, Stirling.
First step was to apply and submit a portfolio of work. This would have been a problem but luckily I had built up a few paintings with Charlotte Anker and Lesley Ann was giving me new techniques and media every week so between these classes I had enough.
Some inclusions to my portfolio:
Chinese inks
Aurora Borealis in oil pastels
Amaryllis
Silk Painting with Lesley Ann Derks
A Charles Rennie Mackintosh in reverse from a painting
Still Life
