© Shirley Batten-Smith 2012 all rights reserved
My passion for art was ignited when I started to attend classes at Folkestone Art College as a teenager in the late 1960s. The wide range of activities gave me the opportunity to work with many different mediums and learn from some very inspirational teachers.
My aunt Carol Clements, also an Art teacher, encouraged me to practice and develop my own style and I found a perfect opportunity when I moved to Wiltshire and would walk past the local thoroughbred stable. I spent many hours observing and sketching the horses and their foals. Horses are still my favourite subject, closely followed by the female form.
I also sketch using an ink pen and sometimes add colour by using a watercolour wash on the paper first. This gives a much more ‘freestyle’ effect to the work which can be very relaxing and absorbing for the viewer. The translucent effect of watercolour painting fascinates me and I like the fact that it can be so difficult to predict how the final work will appear.
I create a wide variety of pieces using different mediums and I am currently enjoying learning how to create new pieces using the palette on my Galaxy Tablet.
I have placed samples of my work alongside and feel free to contact me if you have any questions - I will consider commissions and my pictures or prints can be purchased.
Click to send email here email: shirley@battensmith.com
