A Colour Full Life

My love for colour was heightened when I enrolled for a floristry course about 12 years ago.

I bet you’re wondering why I mention this, but to understand that I had not really embraced  a lot of colour in my life, I had for 9 years worn a black tunic and trousers in another of my previous careers as a holistic therapist . The only glimmer of colour was a bright red lipstick. When my holistic days ended I needed to occupy my mind and thought Floristry sounded like a very happy, easy course. How wrong I was!

The young man who interviewed me for the course seemed bemused that I wanted to learn a new skill. I thought he was judging me on the fact that I was a mature student; little did he know that I was the eternal mature student and would enrol on any course available. I wasn’t particularly fussy as long as I had books and enthusiasm. I redid my A-levels as I wanted distinctions and got them. I learned sign language, pottery, painting, psychology, sociology and counselling: the list is endless.

I digress so get me back to the floristry interview and 30 minutes into a barrage of why I was interested in the subject. Was I capable of some outside work? Did I mind being outside a lot? Was it something I had always wanted to do? All of these I had known about as my friend has said part of the course was foraging for leaves and wild flowers etc, so I was prepared for these questions. He ticked all the boxes and announced that my application had been accepted and could I turn up a week on Wednesday with a hard hat, steel-toe-capped boots and overalls to begin my FORESTRY course!

I did eventually get on the right course. I wasn’t as much interested in the flowers as I was the module on colour. I embraced this with gusto: much to the horror of my tutor when I handed in my colour assignment. Instead of the 10 – 15 paged A4 folder I presented her with a 60 page A3 bound-book, The spark had been ignited and colour was my new friend. I did the first year of my course. Never have I been so cold – the flowers were kept at outside temperature. So I dropped out, taking my colour project home, to be cherished.

So began the need to add colour to my life – you can see it in my work – on the walls I display my artwork in shops, galleries and exhibitions.

I see flowers as well everywhere I look: A Bouquet of Flowers, Fields of Flowers, Happy Days and many more all now turned into beautiful cards.

Colour is my constant companion and a lovely one it is.