During a long career as a freelance writer and editor, I spent my working life crafting words to communicate clients’ ideas, concepts and messages. Perhaps it’s therefore not surprising that I developed a parallel existence as a visual artist, exchanging verbal acuity for manual dexterity in order to express my own thoughts and feelings.
I love mosaic because it enables me to make something meaningful and permanent out of broken, fractured pieces. A therapy as much as an art form, mosaic allows me to reframe the world in a way that makes sense to me and fill it with colour.
When my granddaughter was little, I made a number of pieces with, and for, her. She taught me a lot about creative freedom and imagination. A few years ago, I also volunteered at a residential home for adults with learning disabilities, where I had a lot of fun making mosaics with residents who produced some stunning artwork with similar freedom. As a result, I’m being more playful with my artworks these days.
Exmouth is an inspiring place to live, where the river meets the sea and the views change every day. My home studio there is a wonderful refuge – though it could be a lot tidier!