At a young age a, no doubt well-meaning, teacher crushed my hopes of studying art and becoming a fashion designer. Instead, I utilized the skills passed on by my mother and grandmother into hospitality; everyone enjoys a well cooked meal after all! Moving from my homeland in Scotland in 1998 to live on the beautiful island of Crete reactivated the long time desire to paint. The ever changing light
, the sharp contrasts, exuberance of nature, sunlight glinting off waves and much more have all inspired and brought me to this adventure with brushes, paints, pencils, hands. My background with food and how I often intuitively created new dishes or exciting cakes guides me through the process from blank canvas to the something new of endless possibilities. Colours, shapes, images, textures may call to use them somewhere
I mainly work with acrylic on canvas at this time, for the smaller pieces watercolours can have a surprising effect and bring subtle dimensions. I also enjoy the fluidity of oil colours merging and moving, that’s an area I may well explore now that retirement age has been reached. My time ahead will be a continuation of how I’ve lived – finding the good, the love, the positive or hope contained within the apparent chaos that is life…….transforming resources into something new….more….better. Flora Shirran, late-blooming artist, writer, cake maker and intuitive life coach..
…..….transformation of raw materials………
