In 2008 - probably in the fall my next door neighbour, Sylvia talked me into going to a Decorative Painting class at a nearby craft store.
Decorative painting - for those who don't know, is a painting style where you paint decorative designs on useful objects like wooden items, fabric, glass or non-useful surfaces like paper or canvas. It may include stencilling and faux finishing as well as many other techniques that are all learned in a step by step process. It's a great way for people to learn how to paint. At that time, most of the designs were in a rustic country style.
I had already seen many painted projects in craft magazines but at the time there were no wood pieces in craft stores in Canada to paint on and I didn't have a way to cut wood myself, so I had just looked and wished I could paint.
After this class, I found the craft paint, found the wood I needed to buy, and borrowed a bandsaw from my dad to cut the wood pieces. I painted all my Christmas presents that year! I probably painted this angel 5 or 6 times after that first class - a great way to practice. And everyone got this is the cute angel I painted in that first class many years ago - the beginning of my artistic journey.
The artist was who designed this angel is Rita Martin. I don't remember the name of the teacher - but I am sure grateful that she gave me a start in a little country craft shop in St Agatha ON.
After this class I was hooked! Getting a finished project done by painting was so much faster than needlework! And because if was taught step by step it was easy and fun.
I had done calligraphy previous to this and many of the brush strokes were similar to the calligraphy strokes so I caught on really fast.
Soon I was looking for other classes and suppliers and that's what really started me on my art journey.
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