Susan Caulton
Hastings, Hawkes Bay - New Zealand
Susan Caulton - Fine Artist
Member Since: 01/24/2013
The ART of FOCUS
Painting life forward – Winifred Lesley.
This is Susan, one very ”come lately,” to oil painting!
I have chosen to paint under the name of Winifred Lesley to credit my mother Lesley, and her mother, my grandmother Winifred, for the joy of this new beginning.
Both were artistically gifted women for whom the freedoms of this age might have nurtured their talents in music and art beyond their expectations. Instead their legacy of love and appreciation of beauty in all forms lives on in those of their family fortunate enough to recognize the possibilities, and satisfaction of personal expression in one's chosen art form.
Having retired from many years work in critical incident response, chaplaincy and pastoral care in Australia, I returned to my roots in New Zealand in 2010. Now happily settled, my aim is to focus on my desire to develop and enjoy personal expression through painting in oils.
Particular thanks go to a very talented artist Jerry Fresia, whose brilliant tuition over one magical week on Lake Como in 2010 helped to dispel my long held belief that artists are born imbued with talent! Jerry implanted the notion that 'having a go,' might instead enlarge who I am, and that learning to see would be the key. In learning to see, I would learn to paint. How simple and encouraging was that?
Time is now of the essence, so I hope the discipline of applying what I learnt in Jerry’s class might craft a new dimension to my personal narrative.
As I endeavour to paint these remaining years of my life, forward, in the hope of becoming more of me, your comments will be welcomed, and a much appreciated by product of the intended exercise! Thank you.
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The idea for this page might not have been, save for the paintings of Julian Merrow-Smith at www.shiftinglight.com. Julian’s daily paintings, entitled Postcards from Provence are in my opinion, and from the comments of his many thousands of followers, food for the soul, that encourage all inspirational possibility.
Thank you to Julian, and to Gavin Smith, the New Zealand painter and friend who introduced me to his work.
