I am a self taught artist.
From an early age I always wished to be able to paint, but found the idea far beyond the realms of possibility. I could barely draw a stick figure proportionally when I was young. I grew up in Holland until the age of 12 and saw the wonderful Dutch Impressionist Artists on a school excursion to a Rembrandt van Rhine Exhibition, at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and was awestruck. I have since seen them again and am still awestruck.
My parents immigrated to Australia in 1959 with our large family. We were 10 in number; 2 parents and 8 children. I was 3rd in line and eldest daughter.
Art or the ability to reproduce a picture I was looking at, happened as my father was dying in 1979 when I spent a great deal of time just sitting there trying to occupy my mind. I started by copying anything and everything and found I was able to reproduce what I saw. It is said some people can only paint/draw when highly emotionally charged. I feel that is probably true. Also I’ve heard that Art is not a matter of drawing or painting but a matter of ‘seeing’ in a different way. Many years passed before I returned to put pencil and paint to paper again.
Life is a busy creature, everyone knows about children, households and jobs etc. etc. and it wasn’t until I retired, basically to care for my Bill and to do those trips around our wonderful Outback Australia (before it was too late), that I started to ‘see’ things differently. The “Australian Red Earth” is a passion with me. I really don’t understand how that works. But it is real and profound, it draws and enchants one and when you leave it behind it still calls you. I long to go back there and still hope to do so one day.
Rightly or wrongly I have been disinclined to attend classes or take tuition as I delight in finding out things for myself that suddenly or mysteriously work. It doesn’t always, but when it does it is mind-blowing and for me they are the moments that make it all worth it.
I am occasionally embarrassed by the attention paid to my paintings but I’m told that is common amongst those who put paint or pencil to paper. The Berwick Artists Society together with my dearly departed Bill have been instrumental in my continuing to strive at this pursuit.
Paula Teuwsen | 
