Paula Horton

•     I started painting in 2005 after my mom had passed away. As part of the grieving process, I felt I had to do “something”.
  

    When I saw a newspaper ad for a painting class (Donna Dewberry One Stroke) I signed up. Our wonderful art teacher Karen taught us how to deconstruct a flower to paint it – the process clicked and I started to love painting flowers. As a gardener, these two activities went hand in hand.

     Once I finished the class I started painting and giving away bookmarks by the dozens and a friend suggested I start selling them. Then came the slates which came from our church (the roof was being replaced). The following year in 2006 I started participating in craft fairs and this gave me the confidence to experiment with more craft painting to include wine glasses, all types of glassware and vases, clay garden pots, lighted bottles turned into lamps and furniture.

     In 2014 I wanted to expand my creativity and took some art classes at Michael’s in 2015 with a few established artists.

     I have now circled back to craft painting and am enjoying how much fun it is to embellish each piece for others to enjoy. It’s exciting to take a plain wine glass or clay pot, or a bottle, hand paint it and transform it into a lamp, and create a lovely piece of art.

     I have learned that I am a visual person and am inspired by images I see all around me. Maine is pure inspiration with its landscapes, sunsets, pink and orange sky against coastal islands, flowers, birds, ocean, the jagged coastal rocks, fields and pine trees – this all helps me focus my craft pieces to reflect that beauty.