Sue Shaw

Hi Laura, I am a retired primary school teacher and mum of two boys who are actually in their 30s now! I am also a carer for my elderly mum who has dementia, and although she is able to live alone, I have been involved in her care, with my two sisters and brother for five years. I live with my husband near to Burslem, one of the five towns in Stoke on Trent, as featured in Arnold Bennett's novels. My younger son Ben is an actor and a few years ago, played the part of Willie in Anna of the Five Towns, at the local New Vic Theatre in Newcastle under Lyme. A proud moment for us all and also especially for me, having being born in Burslem! I did leave Stoke in my 20s though and lived in London for fourteen years, which is where the boys were born, and in the last eleven years have come back to the Potteries and my roots in North Staffordshire.
Since the covid pandemic hit the world globally, I think many people have realised the importance and healing quality of being immersed in nature. I have always loved nature and days out in the countryside since a young age, and remember enjoying a little bit of gardening in my childhood. I've become more fanatical about gardening as I've got older, and alongside my love of nature, Ive equally loved taking photographs of the countryside, aswell as the flowers and plants in my own garden. My dad, with whom I was very close, was a great photographer and I've developed the same interest and wanting to have that link with him.
Over the last year or so though, I've had a yearning to get back into my love of art, which I have to say, was always my favourite subject at school. Unfortunately, since my school days, I didn't pursue that interest, because I quite rightly felt that I hadn't got the artistic skills or enough talent to get me far enough to perhaps make a career of it. I didn't feel I had the time to enjoy art as a hobby, so instead practised a little photography and over the years, have loved being creative in my garden. I've come full circle I guess, in now wondering if there is still a little of the artist within me, and this is where your courses have come in!
I decided to join your courses as a means of learning how to illustrate the wonders of nature, mainly in my own garden, and for myself, rather than with the intention of becoming a professional illustrator. If that was to happen, it would certainly be the icing on the cake at this stage in my life! Meanwhile, I want to simply start to draw and paint again and do something for me now, with the added bonus of potentially becoming an illustrator in the future.
I really believe your courses will be most enjoyable Laura, I love your approach to your work, your creative preferences and your art is wonderful. I think that doing these courses will do me the world of good in opening up the long buried artist in me once more! I look forward very much to this journey and discovering after many years, what I can do, rather than what I can't. Thank you for the opportunity Laura.