The Daily Telegraph Article.
I was thrilled to recently have an article published in The Travel Section of The Daily Telegraph. You can read the full article HERE. If you’re not a subscriber I have added the original version below
My first recollection of anything ‘Arty’, other than the usual childhood scribblings, was coming face to face with Henri Rousseau’s ‘Tiger in a Tropical Storm – Surprised!’ in The National Gallery. I was only small, we made eye contact. This startling encounter fuelled a burning desire to create, and was the start of my artistic journey, helped by winning a prize in my schools art competition. I have always found that the joy of art can transport you to other places – Canaletto takes me to Italy, and whenever I see a sweeping Edward Seago sky I am back in Norfolk.
At ‘big school’ I was often found haunting the art room where we always seemed to be painting dead things such as sunflowers and mackerel – beautiful but smelly! On leaving school I was advised by my Dad that there was no money in art and that I should get a ‘proper job’ and work in a bank.
In the meantime, however, I continued with my art and spent many years developing my skills both in the classroom and in experimental research.
It was the sudden death of my Father in 2005 that started my almost fanatical addiction to painting, and I set up a studio space in our bedroom where I was always in danger of getting paint on the curtains and carpet!
Art, and indeed all things creative, is the most amazing healer, and transported me into fantastical worlds where I could forget reality for a while. I recently read a wonderful quote by Julia Margaret Cameron, the pioneering photographer who lived on the Isle of Wight for 15 years, which sums it up for me:
‘….When a painter is painting, he or she may begin with a plan, but that plan is soon surrendered to the paintings own plan. This is often expressed as “the brush takes the next stroke”…..we are more the conduit than the creator of what we express’.
Another tragedy found our family renting a farmhouse on the Isle of Wight for a short but much needed escape from reality. My Husband Dave had confided in me previously that he had always wanted to live on the Island, and that ‘maybe we could retire there one day’.
When I look back at the photos from that holiday I cannot believe how many places we visited – our need to keep busy and blot out reality for a while is clear now. The sun seemed to have shone the whole time, and the beauty of the island is etched into my memory. I discovered its artistic history – Julia Margaret Cameron had lived at Dimbola Lodge, and Tennyson only a short distance away at Farringford House.
From the chair lift at Alum Bay where we took a boat trip to The Needles, to strenuous walks up to The Pepperpot, a medieval lighthouse, we didn’t stop exploring. I think we visited every tourist attraction going including Osborne House and Ventnor Botanical gardens! We also happened to be there during Cowes week so of course had to visit. It was a calm day and I remember the yachts forming some semblance of a starting line, there was an almighty blast from the starting cannon and ………nothing! I had expected them to surge away from the line but they just gently drifted on….
The one thing that remains etched in my mind, however, was the walk I took to visit The Flower Festival at All Saints Church in Calbourne. I went alone and as soon as I entered the dimness and coolness of the interior I felt a calmness that I hadn’t had for months. My walk back took me down ‘Winkle Street’, which is the most gorgeous country lane with quaint thatched cottages and a bubbling stream. On Easter Sunday a duck race is held there and hundreds of people gather, this year 1200 ducks took part! On that particular day though it was just me. The last part of my walk took me into a field of cows. I have long held a fear of them, they are just so big and nosy! To avoid them I climbed through a fence into a ditch and promptly received an electric shock. I received another one at the other end of the field but at least I didn’t get squashed!!
On our return home I was inspired to paint the beautiful images of the landscape which remained in my head and I, too, nurtured a longing to live in my newfound paradise. When my Mum died some 2 years later I knew better how to cope and it was at that point that we made the decision to change our lives – we acquired a little bolt-hole on The Island where we could escape everyday life and find an oasis of calm; full of quaint villages, spectacular beaches, and windswept downs to blow away our mainland cobwebs.
The decision to purchase our little piece of paradise was incredibly emotional and made in one of The Islands many cosy country pubs. I sat clutching a drink with tears running down my cheeks knowing that my Mum and Dad would have both loved the place but also that if they had been here to see it then we wouldn’t be buying it. A double edged sword indeed!
That was the start of a wonderful stage in our lives where we knew that we had somewhere to escape ‘real life’. One particular October week I remember walking in glorious sunshine and saying to Dave “why are we waiting until we retire? Remind me again why we don’t live here now?” He had recently lost an old friend and we both realised that life is very short and you never know what is around the corner. At that point in our lives we had no dependant Parents and no Grandchildren to hold our hearts, so we talked to our Children and they encouraged us – they were all settled in their own lives and were excited at the opportunity to visit us for holidays. A few months later we put our house on the market and moved over permanently, we’ve been here for 5 years and don’t regret a single moment.
My art practise has blossomed since we got here, and Dave and I now run the Business as a partnership. I’m always so touched to watch our Customers’ faces when they view my paintings; invariably they smile, and when they recognise my Isle of Wight scenes they tell me their memories of holidays here – often as small children creating stripy sand sculptures from Alum Bay. It is such a privilege to be able to lift peoples spirits, and I pinch myself nearly every day to be so fortunate.
I just wish that my Mum and Dad could see what we have achieved. Maybe I would even like to say ’told you so’ to my Dad after he discouraged me all those years ago. Although without those ‘proper jobs’ I would not have the skills to run a business, and if they were here we would not be doing what we do, so I do see it as a beautiful legacy that I’m creating in their memory and I know they’d be proud.
