Total Art Soul - for artists

Well it’s all new to me. What exactly? Well, living on the Shropshire and Powys border first of all, in a small village called Llangedwyn which is about 8 miles from Oswestry. We moved down here in March 2009 and we’ve never looked back. I’ve lived in the North West of England for all my life up until that point but I can honestly say I’ve never felt more at home than I do living here.

We not only have the most amazing landscape surrounding us, the luxury (yes I think it’s a luxury) of living in a truly rural setting, the fabulous nearby towns of Oswestry and Shrewsbury, the social activities that are always happening in Shropshire and Powys, but we have a very close knit community here in Llangedwyn in which myself and my family have felt most welcome. I can honestly say that I never want to move and never want to live anywhere else in the world.

So what made us move? It was my deteriorating back condition. I suffered a prolapsed disc in November 2007 and although I had an operation, the problems persisted and have worsened. So we moved to be near to my husband’s family for additional support. It has meant that I’ve been unable to work like I used to do and life has changed dramatically.

However, something I decided to do recently has helped me to accept my condition more readily and confirmed my belief that things happen for a reason. Earlier this year, my husband suggested I do something just for myself. This is not a known concept to me. I look after our young children and I want to help people, that’s what I love to do. But my husband was insistent.

With my disability I am restricted, however, I decided to revisit a passion that I’ve had since I was little girl, that of painting and drawing. With some help from my Shropshire friends on Twitter (many of whom I‘ve met face to face), I started a 10 week course in oil painting at Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology on the 1^st March 2010. It was the most amazing course and I met several fantastic people along the way. I discovered how painting was so therapeutic and really helped my overall wellbeing.

I decided to share my work, good, bad or indifferent, with my friends on Twitter and Facebook. Although, as I’ve said, I undertook painting for my own benefit, what has happened since has been totally unexpected. When I posted my fourth ever oil painting, someone wanted to buy it. Just like that?! I continually shared my paintings and they’ve continued to sell. I still remain shell shocked by this turn of events I can tell you.

I now call myself a Budding Artist.  I am learning and continually striving to improve and experiment.  So yes, I do believe things happen for a reason. If it wasn’t for my spinal problems we wouldn’t have moved to this beautiful part of the world and I wouldn’t have started being creative again. I am truly blessed.

If you would like to see my work or discuss commissions, please visit my website www.artbyjude.co.uk