Dreams can come true!

Feedback from Lois Emmerich

I am a 57 year old female from South Africa. I come from a large loving family but we certainly weren’t of the privileged few. Before I could read or write I was constantly drawing. When I went to school I wasn’t one of the most academic of children and preferred to draw during class. I built up a collection of portrait and figure drawings of my classmates, which went missing out of my locker.

I eventually left school at an early age to start working to assist my mother who was holding two jobs at the time, day and night, and I just couldn’t watch her doing that anymore.

I started working at the age of 15 and very soon worked my way up to the position of executive secretary to the financial director of the company. I often came home from work and would sketch into the early hours of the morning.

I never tried doing anything in colour and used only pencil on paper, but my dream was to one day be able to paint.
I finally built up the courage a few years ago and invested in some canvass and oil paints. The very first attempt I made was a portrait of a young Namibian girl.

My second attempt was of my great niece and nephew. I have since painted some seascapes and a painting of our family, (an old black and white photo of my mom and dad, which I tried to keep the mood of the black and white and then brought in the five girls in colour, but also trying to keep the old look of the picture).

I am now attempting to do a painting of lions which I have just started. I find that I feel quite intimidated after planning my drawing on the canvass because I’m really not too sure where to start with applying the paint. But somehow I get lost in the work and when I look the work is finished and I’m still not quite sure how I did it.

I have also attempted sculpture which I love and managed to do an elderly couple and a dog. I am mostly at ease when doing portraits, however, I love landscapes and animals and there is so much that I would love to be able to do, but time and lack of skill are holding me back. To be able to get the correct guidance and learn the right skills would mean the world to me.

I am fascinated with Leonardo da Vinci’s work. I feel he was a genius and is believed to have had the most intriguing personality.

I don’t have a favorite artist, purely because I get captivated and find a bit of magic in all artwork.

I would love to be guided from beginning to end. From drawing my subject to mixing colours and learning values and how to apply them to my drawings.

I’ve been searching for an institution that can provide me with the correct guidance on drawing and painting, and the Web Art Academy site embodies everything that I would need.

loisvanbartemmerich.see.me/