A ‘square peg in an a round hole'  or just a ‘right brained person working in a left brained world?'

The renowned books of Betty Edwards*and Julia Cameron* have helped me to restart my ‘creative self ‘journey. A period during which I made the decision to return to my first love - Art.  

Progress has been made with the support of creative people who are excellent artists, good teachers and mentors. I have been able to access the right amount of tuition, applied at the right time with intuition, understanding and support. My comfort zone has been challenged and new ideas and techniques have been introduced gently.

Aided by the stimulus of viewing exhibitions and attending weekly classes has added to the tutorial mix. Including one spectacular summer attending a ‘breakthrough’ week long residential course at Ullapool, followed by an intensive inspirational weekend portrait course at Dundee Wasp’s Studios .

All of these opportunities for ‘learning by doing ‘have been gifts, freely given, that have helped me to finally move on in 2013 from black & white, far too many shades of grey, towards light, line, shape, tone, volume and finally to the brilliance of full colour. 

I have returned slowly to my ‘creative self’, undergoing a transformation during the process, whilst building a personal foundation course and a portfolio of work. Moving from extensive figurative drawing to expressive drawing, from charcoal and graphic to colour, from realism into abstraction and eventually to bold sculptural figures and architectural shapes. 

I enjoy being comfortable in seeing the shapes and shadows in nature that have the potential to tell stories (pareidolia)*.  I try to remain alert to the hidden messages, in nature and the environment, that others may miss as they speed past. Recreating the essence of ‘the story’ that the glimpse of an object or a figure has created. 

At all times, when out and about, being visually alert and aware, catching glimpses in the line, curves and patterns in figures, landscapes and seascapes.

Now, instead of feeling that I was that ‘square peg, in an a round hole’. I feel that I may possibly becoming ‘a round peg, in an a round hole ‘. 

Hopefully working towards Hannah Frank’s definition (artist & sculptor 1908-2008)