Local artist Michelle Turner Davidson has a very diverse workload: painting celebrities, supporting a hospice for children and inspiring people with learning difficulties to express themselves. Here she writes about connecting with your creative side and the weekly evenings she hosts at Wildleaf in Olney, to try and encourage people, whatever their background, to try just that..

“Are you doing what makes your heART and soul sing?. Life’s short, so why not? Especially because when you do, that’s when the magic happens!…I’m a local artist and I have the absolute joy of painting the things I love. My early years were filled with art and dance and I started life as a professional dancer. Later I spent around 20 years in the fitness industry and yoga world and whilst life changed, people, movement, and the physical have always been fundamental to who I am and what I do.

I now work mainly in acrylic – I love their vibrancy of colour – and paint straight onto the canvas or board letting the brush or palette knife create the shapes, tones and forms. Movement, flow and colour dominate and faces fascinate me… Including several of local people.

Much of the work I do has a community and charity element. Combining the things and people that give me joy with giving back and creating environments where others can do the same or find their creative sides. My current works are supporting, Rainbows Hospice for children with Challenge Charity Boxing (Leicester), MK Snap, Women’s Boxing Northampton, and Eveda. (Yes, I box!).

Painting people I know or have met is important – it’s much more about the connection than the visual. Which is one of the reasons I hope to connect people with their creative side with a new twice weekly meet-up for anyone wanting to explore whatever outlet they want: music, art, chat, singing.

Do come along to the Alchemy Hub at Wildleaf Cafe on Mondays and Wednesday 6-9pm because it’s later than you think…”

Instagram: MichelleTurnerDavidson.Art www.michelleturnerdavidsonart.com

michelle@laterthanyouthink.co.uk