I started painting 20 years ago. A local artist was running a botanical watercolour class just down the road from me and being so close I thought I would give it a go. I didn't care what the subject or medium was at that time, just that it was nearby. I had always liked botanical illustrations in my gardening books so I felt pretty sure I would like it. Once there, it was soon apparent that I loved the subjects we were painting. I loved getting right into all the tiny details. Using watercolours was fun too, very different from the poster paints I'd used as a kid in school! The 10 weeks passed very quickly and soon after we made our move to France.

Once in France and the dust had settled, I immersed myself in my painting. It was all very experimental at that time and I didn't have any clear focus of what I wanted to paint or what I was going to do with all those paintings.

Then, disaster struck. In August 2002 my house and I was struck by a rare bolt of lightning. I was thrown 10 meters across the room and had badly burned feet. I was not able to hear at all for 3 days due to the huge explosion. My entire house was devastated too. I recovered and the house took 1 year to be renovated once more.

Because of this major incident and the fact that I was incredibly lucky to be alive, it really was the pivotal moment in my life as an artist. I decided from that moment on that life really was too short and that I should just do what makes me happy. I painted like a crazy woman from that moment but this time, I really had focus. I wanted to find a unique way of working, something nobody else was doing.

It was on a trip to Vienna when I saw an Eva Hesse exhibition and saw her textured works that the light came on. I had so many skills at my fingertips and I realised that if only I could put all of those into my art, the pieces would be unique. That's when I started using materials and this is where my journey really began.

I feel now that I'm on the right track. I feel that I'm doing something which is within my capabilities but I can improve all the time. I feel that I've hit on an original idea and that the possibilities are endless. I'll be happy doing this forever.

I hope my work can bring you a little happiness too. That is the ultimate goal.

Cathy
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