Where I am coming from...

I painted my first picture, just before last Xmas, after watching Bob Ross, the American artist, (sadly now deceased), on TV. I had no idea who or what he was and just happened to catch his programme when viewing 'Home & Leisure' on Sky TV late at night.
I was enthralled to say the least... He convinced me that even I could paint.

I had no idea where to get his type of paints and so went to a local discount store, bought a load of ordinary oil paints, and a packet of long-handled bristle brushes, (10 in a pack for 99p!). To this I added a plastic paint kettle, a couple of 2ins. and 1ins. house painting brushes, and also bought a litre of White Spirit for just under £2.50.
I was ready to go...

No, not quite true... I didn't have anything to paint on!
I went to the shed when I got home and cut up some spare hardboard sheets that I had lying around and painted them white with emulsion paint. It was heavy grade. You know, the stuff that you paint exterior walls with. It dried overnight and the next day I was away. I had watched Bob Ross for several times before I plucked up the courage to set brush to paint and board. It wasn't easy to start. I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT OIL PAINTING - (still don't!), but only what Bob Ross had told me, and a few million others, on a TV programme. But I was hooked!

I began the painting just a couple of weeks before Xmas 2000, and it is now February 2001.
I have painted some 10 or 12 pictures to date and have now begun to take art lessons so that I can 'do the job proper like'.

I have been very fortunate in being taken under the wing of MICHAEL SANDERS, who is a great guy as well as an excellent teacher, and has the patience of Job to boot! I count myself very fortunate to have found someone like him so 'local' to me. He lives just 20 minutes away in the lovely riverside village of Calstock, Cornwall.

I have had 2 x 2hrs of tuition so far and I wish it were more often. My dear wife is tolerant of the smell of white spirit that hangs around the house - and I managed to break a clock when my easel fell over in the night, but that's another story...

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