Since 1999 I have been a regular visitor to the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, where the local history and beautiful countryside kindled my interest in photography and enabled me to discover a talent for composition. In 2006 I took up painting again, this time opting to use watercolour. I started out by creating scenes from the works of my favourite author, JRR Tolkien, and I still regularly paint from the imagination in this way.

Largely self taught, since 2007 I have enrolled on several short courses at Central St Martins to widen my range and enhance my skills, most recently in the discipline of Life Drawing. I enjoy experimenting with the fluidity and vibrancy of watercolour and the effects of light and colour which it makes possible - literally “going with the flow” and allowing it to dictate the direction of the painting. This can lead to some unexpected results - which may not be intentional, but are always interesting!

 

In 2008 I started exhibiting locally (as Teresa Kirkpatrick):  showing work in Harpenden, St Albans, Letchworth, Toddington and Hitchin.  I have also taken some of my Tolkien paintings to the annual Tolkien Society Oxonmoot, and had a couple of works accepted for the Tolkien Society journal, Mallorn, along with a few poems.