Years later, having taught in some lovely places
such as Truro, Dawlish and Newquay, I came to live in
North Devon and gave up teaching to raise our son. Later,
supply teaching lead on to another creative job, teaching
young people with autism.
Six years ago a period of ill health made me reassess what
I hoped to achieve in my life, my art work became very
important to me, and I worked in watercolours and then
pen and ink to retrain my eyes. Now I produce large scale
drawings of our local trees and woods that combine my love
of tone and line with an interest in human activity in the
landscape and the feelings created in people by woods and trees.
Two early influences on me were Rudyard Kipling's drawings
for the Just So Stories and the illustrations for Alice in
Wonderland that I saw as a child. My drawings take ages but
they gain their own momentum as they progress. I have
found my subject matter on Torrington Common, at RHS Garden
Rosemoor and in the immediate area of our valley at Weare
Giffard, all in North Devon.
I was asked to be the Lead Artist for "The Artists'
Garden Exhibition" at RHS Rosemoor in September 2010 which
gave me the chance to show eight originals and giclee
prints. I am excited about joining the South West Academy
and showing my work with them. I have a website where each
new drawing is added as they are completed and my prints
are available for sale. I consider myself very lucky to
be involved in the art world. I am a Committee member of
North Devon Arts, a large, non-selective arts group and
am in charge of exhibitions, a position I love because
it gives me the chance to help and encourage others in
their work.
www.sarahwoolfenden.co.uk
Work For Sale from the Academy
