I graduated in drawing and painting from Edinburgh College of Art then taught for a number of years before leaving to raise a family and explore my oil painting again. I returned to teaching part time and now visit Primary Schools as a Specialist Art Teacher.

Teaching is a demanding job but doing it part time allows me time to create my own work .

I paint mainly in watercolour and oils. Working outdoors when the weather permits is my first love but I do also enjoy working in the studio from photographs, memory  or simply from imagination.

Once a week I tutor at an Art Club in the evening which helps to keep my skills sharp for demonstration. Versatility is necessary as each member may wish to work in any medium from watercolour painting to oil painting or acrylic. During the summer months I try to do a number of themed workshops in the local area covering skills required to work outdoors, mainly in watercolour or acrylics.

Crubenbeg Country Guest House hosts at least two art weekends a year which I have the pleasure of teaching. These are designed to be relaxing and fun as well as informative. I also take every opportunity to stay there as a guest just to chill or take part in one of Irene's superb cookery weekends.

October 2010 sees us working in the many mediums used in drawing, charcoal, graphite, soft pastels, oil pastels and of course watercolour paint.

Twice a year I take off for some part of Scotland to judge SWRI art proficiency tests. This lets me visit parts of Scotland I might not otherwise see and gives me a great deal of pleasure, seeing such a variety of work in many styles.  I recently began to paint in acrylics again inspired after seeing some work in the tests in Wigtownshire.

My interest in glass began when attending a course run by Carole Robinson a glass artist based in Kinghorn in Fife. I have since attended some of Carole's masterclasses and exhibited in Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery along with other students of Carole's. She is an inspiring teacher helping students achieve with confidence and still maintaining her own artistic integrity.  The work in fused glass for me is very different from the techniques in painting. Working on a smaller scale for pieces of glass jewellery means a change of approach. I love working with the colour in glass pendants, particularly the metallic sheen of dichroic glass. Its colour is not something I would see in painting.

When relaxing I like to spend time with a good book and one of our three cats curled up on my knee or taking Gypsy our collie cross dog for a walk although sometimes it's Gypsy who takes me for a run!

MayExhibitions

Livingston Art Association Annual show

Cancer research Annual fundraising Exhibition in Edinburgh.

Pittenweem Arts Festival open exhibition.

Hanover Fine Arts (now an on-line gallery)

SAA web-site saa.co.uk/art/maysnaddon

Harburn Festival