Many moons ago I did an O level in art, then put down my paintbrush until April 2024. Moving to Devon and finding my forever home, I rediscovered an old passion I didn't know I'd missed: painting and drawing. Not hard when you live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, Torbay. The ever-changing beauty of this landscape through the seasons has been my motivation to explore and interpret the light of the sun on the sea and the rugged coastline. Art has opened my eyes to the beauty and colour around me, and has helped me grow and develop in ways I never thought possible.

Getting messy with paint, charcoal and pan pastels, my preferred mediums, has given me joy, and I have found the peace, space and grounding I need to manage my menopause and my sanity. For over 25 years I was a teacher of languages and a leader within education (and I still tutor), and I am now a menopause and midlife coach through my business, Embrace the Menopause, as well as a nervous system regulation practitioner.

I am passionate about making a positive difference in women's lives. My mission? To bring art and menopause together. I want women to embrace life to the fullest through their own creativity, as I do. Through developing my photography and artistic skills, I have been exploring the pain, anguish and confusion of midlife, as well as how we should celebrate the beauty, confidence and wisdom of the older woman. This has culminated in the inspiration for my new series, Inhale to Exhale, and my first solo exhibition this summer.

My mantra moving forward: Don't dream it. Be it.

Our breath is like the tide. It has to flow. In and out. Bringing life to us, to the beach. In and out. It never fails. It is autonomic, like our breath. In and out. I marvel at how different each tide can be, the marks it leaves on the sand, the debris it wants to leave behind. It comes in and out. And when it withdraws, it pulls away quickly, almost dragging itself back

Acrylic

53x43cm