Many moons ago as I was planning what to do with my life after leaving high school in Edinburgh Scotland, I was torn between a career in dramatic art, the visual arts or speech therapy. In the end I listened to my father who believed that I was destined to wait tables if I followed the first two options! I opted for speech therapy and earned my degree at Edinburgh University.
I have never regretted that decision! Speech and Language Pathology proved to be an absorbing and fascinating profession which actively engaged me for over 40 years; upon retirement I plucked up courage and enrolled in an art class with Bowser artist Elissa Anthony and for the past 7 years I have been guided by her teaching and mentorship and am discovering the challenges and joy of painting with oils. The relationship between creativity and wellbeing has always interested me and surprisingly was an integral component of my career in speech and language pathology.
My retirement has been enriched by re-discovering painting and the mental and creative challenges it presents. I find the doing is often as important as the outcome as I paint! Equally stimulating and important are the wonderful fellow painters I meet along the way and being surrounded by the beauty of Vancouver Island.
