The Art of Storytelling

Stories have always held a special place in my heart and my imagination. My earliest memories involve me soaking up all kinds of stories; from books, to television, to family history and mythology. But more than that, I remember telling my own stories, even as a tiny child I created characters and worlds of make believe.

When I was really small I had a special blanket that I took everywhere and it became my imaginary friend. The blanket was a boy and his name was 'Ruggie' (not very imaginative I know, but I had limited language back then!) Ruggie and I lived in a world that no one else could see and we had grand adventures together until my parents deemed it wise that Ruggie move on to greener pastures because they were deeply concerned for this strange child that inhabited their home. The fact that I grew up to still make up imaginary characters and became an artist does not surprise me and I realise now that I am still telling stories.

So, this blog is a place to try an experiment. It may not work out, not every creative idea goes anywhere or becomes anything but it is important to have a safe place to play and stretch our creative muscle. I am hoping to start to share and develop some stories that are linked to my paintings. The stories are always there, but usually stay in my mind. I would like to see if I am able to write them down and share them and I am going to be brutally honest, this ideas scares me and leaves me feeling deeply vulnerable. But I am going to do it anyway and I invite you to join me.