A New Beginning

byremann

57 followers

3 years ago

Well, I decided to go for it.

On Wednesday, 12th April 2023 I signed up for Premium Membership after completing the Starter Level with WA.

I don’t mind telling you it’s been a bit daunting. Not that I’m worried about the training, I’m looking forward to that, but I do tend to overthink things sometimes. I like the nitty gritty, details, the whys, wheres and hows. Sometimes to the point of not getting anything done!

Level 1 ended with me setting up my website in my chosen niche. Fine, done that. Learned such a lot in this short space of time. Just not bought my domain name yet. I’ve chosen one, but not sure if I’m really comfortable with it. ‘Painting on Altered Tides’ is the name I’ve chosen, although I also like another ‘My Silver Palette’.

My working life has been a mainly within the Building Society/financial services, legal sector and Local Authorities Highways Maintenance Health & Safety.

When I reached 50, I decided I had enough of 12hrs days working for someone else, travelling to meetings, and so much driving, so I quit and set up my own embroidery and print business working from home in our converted garage. This was in 2006 and I loved it. Still working long hours but for myself now and able to plan my work and days. My husband had a computer repair business also working from home.

In 2012 we moved house and after a while I decided to close my business and sell off my equipment. My embroidery machine went off to Africa to help a village community project.

I’ve never been one to just sit. I usually have to be doing something. For me that something was returning to my art, watercolours in particular. I’d given them up some years earlier when life got in the way, like it does.

After a while I was encourage by three friends to set up an art club at our local parish hall. That was 2016, and it’s turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done! The club members ages range from 55 to 92, and they are some of the liveliest, interesting and fun people I know. I also manage the Facebook page for the club.

Starting up the art club gave me chance to rekindle my love of watercolours and put to use the eight years of evening classes in the 1980’s, and the skills, techniques and knowledge I’d accumulated in the years since 2016. I now paint in acrylics, oils and mixed media besides my beloved watercolours.

For me starting this journey with WA and developing my blog will be about sharing what I know with others. Although I’ve been painting for many years, I still consider myself a beginner, and I’d like to be able to share my art process with others, perhaps of similar age to me who want to start watercolours but not sure how. We’d be learning together.

Next year I’ll be 70. I certainly don’t feel it (or look it some would say), and I don’t want to be reading this next year and saying ‘I wish I had …’.

Ruth