What led you to become an artist?
I took early retirement from architectural education when my husband Ian and I were able to spend winters in India. I needed a new hobby for our months away. The hobby soon became a passion and, although we no longer go to India, has grown into a challenging and satisfying second career.
I have had no formal art education, but I have been a studio design teacher in architecture for many years and wrote a Master’s dissertation in ‘Teaching For Creativity’, so I have probably been pretty good at teaching myself.
What’s your favourite medium to work in?
My favourite medium is acrylic. Just recently I have enjoyed trying out some collage, working with patterned tissue paper and acrylic pain. I like to work quickly and find that acrylic is fast drying and allows for flexibility, experiments, and corrections.
Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
I was born and brought up in Dublin. I don’t think this affects my work. However, my work is very much affected by location and going to a new place often sparks off a new approach. My paintings made in India, showing heat, bright shimmering light and vibrancy, are totally different from those of Scotland or Northumberland with powerful landmark views in dramatic weather.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given in your creative practice?
“Paint what you like!” - Advice of Stanley Spencer. I’ve tried to keep to this advice and just do my own thing, and if they sell, that’s great!
What’s something you’d like others to know about your artwork?
My paintings have carefully constructed proportions. I’ve always been intrigued with mathematics. You will find basic rules of proportion such as division into thirds as the basis of composition in most of my paintings.
I think a lot about my paintings and of trying to capture the character of place. My architectural background has given me an awareness of the relationship of man-made and natural forms. My distillery paintings are about these clearly functional buildings in their landscape setting.
It gives me pleasure to find that a subject I have been inspired to paint has special meaning for somebody else.
How has your style changed over time?
It’s always changing and developing. It’s a cyclic process, and I return to particular styles, yet allow them to take new directions. The style of my painting is strongly related to place. I also like to consider the mental and physical activity of painting, it can be relaxing, it can also require serious concentration, changing style may come from this too. For instance, I might make a free and expressive painting as a change after completing one with controlled composition of layers and forms.