Retired engineer, David Fewell, has found a clear link from his previous career to his current passion for painting.
“I think training as an engineer when I was young has given me confidence to work with materials and tools and also gave me a way of looking at how things have been made or designed and this has crossed over to my art”, he explains.
“Both need a degree of manual dexterity and an ability to develop an idea and utilise a process to progress an idea to completion (if you're lucky!)”
David sees that both engineering and art need a degree of visualization and are both creative: “I feel painting is often considered as an ability to portray a three-dimensional object in a two- dimensional medium, and engineering can be the reverse, making a three-dimensional object from two dimensional plans and drawings.”
David has been interested in art from when he was at school and has regularly attended evening classes and online painting and drawing courses. He took by online study in his mid 50s a Certificate in Higher Education in art giving him experience of different mediums including oils, acrylic and watercolour.
Recently David had been looking to find an art club to join. The Westbury Art Club met his need: “I wanted to be part of and involved with an artistic community and mix with other creative people.”
David says: “I love the atmosphere and historic surroundings of Westbury. I enjoy the company, support and encouragement the other members of the club give.
“On one occasion, it was a beautiful sunny day, I set up an easel in the garden at Westbury and enjoyed painting outside for a couple of hours. My painting wasn't great, but it was really relaxing to do, no worries about members of the public breaking my concentration, or having to cope with the other usual problems of painting outside.”
His advice to someone thinking about attending the Westbury Art Club is to join. “It's good value for money and it's sociable as well as being creative. It's a relaxed environment, non tutored, but if you want advice there are members always willing to help.”
Find out more about the Westbury Art Club (include website link)
Photo caption : David Fewell at his easel