Page 89 - The Digital Cloth Issue 3

I moved to the Cotswolds in the year 2000. started to draw again, exploring colours with
Leaving behind a full-time Art/Textiles teaching watercolour and eventually started building a
post to embrace a new stage in life, body of work and updating skills with new
parenthood. Initial thoughts that surely, I could materials. Our living/dining room was gradually
be an attentive mother and establish myself as being taken over, visitors never quite knew what
an artist were soon diminished. I realised for a they would be greeted with and sitting at the
short while anyway, that I would have to pack dining room table was becoming an increasing
away my paintbrushes and settle for child’s impossibility. A family holiday in the Canaries
play. As one daughter became 2, life became helped us to see that we all needed space. The
pretty busy and for a little while longer, I settled family should claim back the house and I should
for photography and creating with the children. have a workspace of my own. We only have a
Time soon passed by and as their tiny garden, but knowing I would need to spend
independence increased, I found myself again as much time as possible on my work but still
with small pockets of time to claim as my own. be home for the children, a garden studio really
The main difficulty I found was where do you was the only option. We purchased a log cabin
start with so much in your head and limited kit and began the building of my art shed.
opportunity. I took a gentle approach and

From tampering down the wet concrete, to
building the walls together, it quite quickly took
shape. Within 3 months I had my space and after a
little time gathering together pre-loved furniture,
it was soon ready to work in. I count myself lucky
every single day I walk down the garden path and
open up my art space. At times friends come in
to enjoy some creative play and occasionally I run
workshops in there. Predominantly though, it is
my space and valued as somewhere that I can go
away from the doorbell, the phone and household
chores.

So, where do I begin? Sometimes I’m inspired by
something that I’ve seen. A beautiful view
experienced on holiday or when going about day
to day life. The rolling hills of the Cotswolds, the
changing seasons or the onset of the rain.
Inspiration could also be triggered by something
which I have watched on tv. Our beautiful planet
or night skies which might later be researched in
books or on the internet. Following this, I make
sketches and watercolour studies in order to
understand the structures and details of potential
subject matters.