I trained as a doctor. My Mum thought it was 'a good thing', and indeed it was a very sensible choice indeed for someone of reasonable academic ability. It would have given me a job for life.
So why on earth did I give it up? It's not that I hated the job - far from it. I worked in the N.H.S. for 21 years, latterly with a great team in the local hospital, and part of me thought I would be there until retirement. But there was always the sneaking suspicion that there might be more to life than the daily commute. So after much soul searching, and conversations deep into the night with my lovely husband, I resigned. I won't say it was easy. I had doubts - who wouldn't? - and I did get a lot of criticism from the local community, but the benefits to us as a family far outweighed any of the disadvantages.
Just as importantly, I could suddenly paint. I had time! I am entranced by colour, not just the obvious zinging juxtaposition of purple and orange, for example, but the myriad shades of grey in a Lakeland winter, and I was able to try and find ways to show off the beauty of the world around us.
I want to paint things that are beautiful. For me, it is no more complicated than that.
I love wildlife, and especially being out in the wilderness. If the weather is wild, so much the better! But I also love the quiet beauty of pre-Renaissance art, especially that from Siena. I mainly paint in acrylic, but love playing with egg tempera and gold leaf. I am intrigued by things that have some history to them, be they paintings or landscapes. This blog gives me the chance to share some of the things I enjoy. You'll find pieces about art old and new, wildlife watching and conservation, history, and some insights into life in a little village where everybody knows everybody else (and knows what they are doing). We've been here for over twenty years and love the village traditions - often quirky and very English! Please feel free to comment or email me at toni@toniwatts.com (in fact I'd love it if you did!). Blogging, for me, is all about communication.
Finally, people often ask whether I regret giving up my nice safe job for a life of variable earnings and frustrations with paintings that won't quite go right? Not a bit of it. Painting, for me, is like breathing. I can't live without it.
Following the dream? I'm proof that it is possible - but it could be any of us. It just takes a step of faith....
