After too many years, I returned to painting while convalescing from a major operation. At the time, I had limited arm movement and painting was a great therapy that helped me forget my troubles. The result wasn’t great, but I loved the escape it offered.
Over time, I grew in confidence and so did my commitment to creativity.
My approach to art is very experimental. I love to learn new techniques and styles and incorporate these in my work. A current favourite is working with gold and silver leaf in a bold and graphic way. My latest work uses this along with inspirational quotes and extracts of poetry.
I hold monthly art sessions, Make Time 4 Art at Southlands Arts Centre (West Drayton UB7). Each begins with an overview of the life of an artist, their style, technique and how their life is expressed in their work. This encourages experimentation. Sometimes to emulate what we have learned and other times in direct contrast, but each is inspired and nearly always outside of any comfort zone.
Through my affinity with Southlands, I have coordinated a number of collaborative community art pieces, creating a version of a famous painting as a kind of patchwork, with each square rendered by a different artist in their own style. The resulting pieces form part of the permanent display at Southlands.
If you are interested to know more, email me MT4A@yahoo.com
View my work and community pieces on Instagram: www.instagram.com/lisa_southlands/
Find out more about Southlands:
Southlands Arts Centre: 75 The Green, West Drayton UB7 7PW. www.SouthlandsArts.co.uk
