Art is has become more than hobby for Lillian Gray Art School artist
David Johns, a student of Lillian Gray Art School, says stepping into his creative side didn't need him to retire.
For the past four years, hobbyist artist David Johns has been part of Lillian Gray Art School. He is a member of the adult art classes group, after being introduced to the school by his daughters, who encouraged him to get back into his hobby.
To execute the best portraiture art works he can, he uses mainly pencil, adding colour, and, at times, charcoal. “I have found a lot of peace and tranquility in my art. It’s a good space for me to relax and be creative. I hope to keep on doing it.”
Johns said, spaces like the Fairland-based art school really do promote a sort of alternative space for people. “If I look at my class, it is a very diverse group of people, from age to profession.”
He added that, there you can find lawyers, dentists, doctors, engineers, and teachers. “I think they all find the same, sort of, safe space, to express and be themselves.”
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In the art class, they make an effort not to speak about work, allowing themselves just to be creative. “As a 52-year-old, it has been quite liberating for me to be part of this group and art community.”
In the years of him attending these classes, he has found his art to have improved in several ways. “I like to do realistic portraits, and I think my drawings have become a lot more realistic. I have got a lot of good feedback on this.” He also shared that he has become more confident, and now takes on more difficult pieces, which are harder to create. He has also been trying different mediums, particularly charcoal, which has allowed him to grow as an artist.
To fellow hobbyists who may have packed away their creativity, Johns encourages them to make time for it again. “Pick up a pen, pick up a paint brush. You’ll find it stimulating and liberating. It is a great thing to do.” Advocating that there is no time like the present, Johns used to think that art was something he could only do once he had retired, “but why do you have to wait? Just make the time and enjoy it.”
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