This collection of paintings is named 'Life' paintings 1, 2, 3, and so on. I chose the title 'Life' for two reasons. First, I wanted to create a mixed media piece that incorporated things reflecting my life experiences and use items that are personal to me. Here are some of the materials I included:

•  Birthday cards, including those from my 60th and my son's 21st birthdays

•  Birthday cards from my mother, which she had saved

•  Handwritten letters from loved ones, some of whom have passed away

•  Knitted and crocheted items, most of which I have made myself, as I have been knitting since childhood and come from a family of knitters

•  A variety of fabrics, since I enjoy sewing and have a collection of textiles that I have collected over the years

•  Clothes from my son when he was a baby

•  Blankets and attire that belonged to my lovely little dog Rosie, who recently passed away

•  Fabrics and images that evoke memories of my childhood

•  Ribbons and fabric badges, as I find haberdasheries visually exciting and can spend hours exploring them

•  Wrappers from my own and my family's favourite foods and chocolates

•  Sandpapers, packaging, gift wrap materials, semi-precious stones, and other materials from our workshop, representing thirty years of work as a designer and jeweller, alongside my husband John

•  Pieces from my earlier artworks

The second reason for this title is that when I had the chance to resume my artistic journey after a long break, I wanted to celebrate painting with a burst of vibrant, energetic colours. My inspiration stemmed from two abstract mixed media pieces I created years ago, where chance was used to determine the marks and materials added to the paintings by rolling dice.

I began the 'Life' paintings using an array of bright colours, but as I worked, I found myself gravitating towards darker tones. This shift led me to pause and start a much darker piece. While I was pleased with the outcome, I still felt something was missing. Ultimately, I decided to create a new piece that blended elements from both paintings and I was much more satisfied with the result, as it felt more complete.

I realised that these paintings were reflecting life, both happiness and sadness coexist and are important for a balanced life.