One Sunday afternoon in 2002 we were browsing round a large garden centre in Huntingdon, a large group of people were gathered round viewing something obviously of interest. Not being in a rush we wandered over to see what was going on, in the middle of the group was somebody demonstrating watercolour painting. In less than an hour the artist, we later learnt was Charles Evans, painted a very nice landscape; It all looked so easy, found out later not so easy.

When asked later in the year what would I like for Christmas I told them “watercolour painting set” which duly arrived via Santa Clause. I started an art class with a friend and it took off from there.

The first art course was OK but we were told what to do and not shown and for me that wasn’t what I wanted. I found another class more local and much better and attended for several sessions. The artists hardware kept coming at each birthday and Christmas, I’m running short of socks and hankies but got loads of paints, brushes, pastels etc.

There are many good web sites for painters to both learn and share your work, I have also got a good number of videos and DVD’s and many of my recent paintings are inspired by Frank Clarke, who has an easy way with his painting.

Apart from my web site and other forums I have not displayed my work and have only ever sold one painting. This was to somebody I knew who had seen it on my web site and asked if he could buy it.

At present I don’t have enough time to do the painting I would like and I find I must be in the mood. Some people seem to manage a painting a day, I’m trying to do at least one a month and I’m still failing. The important thing is to enjoy what you are doing, after all it is a hobby and not a job or a punishment.

I don’t like practising and always want to end up with a painting to hang on the wall, although I have nearly run out of wall(s).

For anybody who fancies having a go getting started is fairly cheap, the Works is one shop that sells all the paints and brushes to get you started and if you like it buy better next time. A few years back Kingy said to me that she would like to paint but couldn’t, I told her to have a go and just look at her work now, especially her oil paintings.