Life events don’t just have an influence on our thoughts and feelings; I’ve found they have an effect on my art too. Never was this more noticeable than when I sadly lost my beloved Mum.

Mum lived to the amazing age of 89, spending her last 20 years without my Dad. We think she felt she’d been here long enough without him. Mum saw her grandchildren grow up, made sure my sister and I were settled, and I guess felt ready to reunite with our Dad.

After my mum’s passing, I continued to create art, perhaps to take my mind off things. Only looking back do I realise that the pieces I painted during this time were darker, more gritty and raw. Creating the “Hidden Dangers in the Shadows” collection helped me to process my feelings and work through my sadness. Despite my grief, I actually enjoyed creating these pieces, as they reflect the depth of love I have for my Mum.

After a while, the “Hidden Dangers in the Shadows” collection naturally came to an end, as sunrises started to emerge within my work. At this point, I recognised that I had been grieving through my art, and was starting to come to terms with her loss; ready for new beginnings in a more positive frame of mind.

This new outlook is more hopeful, and has subconsciously led me to embark on a “Morning Blessings” collection, which will no doubt feature on my website soon. Although I am glad to be creating more positive art, I look back fondly on the “Hidden Dangers in the Shadows” Collection. Through its creation, I was able to process my feelings and land myself in a much more optimistic headspace.

I guess the saying is true – “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life” - Oscar Wilde