Home is Where the Art is

Hello!  For my first blog of 2019 I’d like to share one of my great loves – art.

Picture Perfect

I first became interested in art at a young age where I would spend my spare time visiting various galleries including the Kelvingrove Art Museum and the Gallery of Modern Art.  I saw numerous exhibitions showcasing amazing and unusual art.  It’s safe to say I was hooked early on!

Inspired by the artists at these galleries, I joined my local art group which I attended after school.  We met in an old guide hut which was awkward for me to get in and out of in my wheelchair, but I managed.  The others in the group were lovely and I was encouraged by the course leader.

A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

From there I started to take inspiration from John Lowrie Morrison and Monet.  I like the colours and styles these artists use.  Initially, I couldn’t paint pictures with lots of detail because of my Cerebral Palsy and my poor hand control.  These paintings were tricky to do but I soon came up with techniques, like putting masking tape on the paper to hide completed sections so they didn’t get painted over.

Every year the group put on a show.  I usually put forward a few of my paintings which meant I needed to frame everything and come up with titles for each.  The artwork was on sale too.  It’s an amazing feeling when you see a small red sticker on your work – that means it has been sold!  I was very successful myself, selling a lot of my own pieces.

Down To A Fine Art

A few years later I joined another art class in Glasgow which is run especially for people with disabilities.  I took the techniques I had learned at my first group and applied them to more advanced painting.  I painted a giant replica of Monet’s “Water Lilies” which was the biggest picture that I’ve ever attempted.  The painting actually sits pride of place in my living room – it’s stunning!

 

Homegrown Gallery

Inspired by the experience of showcasing my artwork at my class’ exhibitions, I decided to hold my very own event at home.  Those who had bought my paintings at previous events were kind enough to let me borrow them back and put them on display.  The show was a great success and all of my friends came which was really nice.

My art has also been commissioned internationally by buyers from as far away as Ghana which is something I’m particularly proud of.

Thanks for reading my January blog – I hope you enjoyed hearing more about my passion for art.  Tune in next month for my next instalment!

Marion