This month we are delighted to feature a Guest Blog from one of our graduation Little Art School Adult students. Fiona Dawson has attended classes in our Troon and Ayr studios for years. Fiona is a truly inspiring woman and has been a much-valued member of our art community at the Little Art School.

My journey through art started through my school days as Art and design was my favourite subject, I did quite a bit of design work and textiles, that was my favourite bit of it. We also did still lifes and portraits and landscapes in different mediums. I had a brilliant Art teacher, who saw me through everything. Art became in my everyday life and an ongoing hobby and is part of my escapism. I’ve got a very eye with colour and detail.

I explored everything in art and I did quite a few art classes as well as the little art school of which I loved, it showed me, how much that I can do and showed my confidence. Art is my world, my hobby and my passion. I will always continue to love art, it always makes me feel so good inside me, it relaxes me. When I feel down, it gives me joy, relaxes me as a whole and for me to be in control, doing things at my own pace. Everything in art is like Therapy for me therapy to heal me, heal my nerves and when I’m stressed. Art is full of happiness inside me. Art is a way that I can express myself.

Every time I do art, I turn myself off and I can be me. When it comes to theory through art, I love the impressionists and post impressionists, my favourite artists are Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet, always love their work. I love the Scottish Colourists, likes of Peploe and Ferguson and Hunter. I also like Charles Rennie Mackintosh and William Morris.

In my paintings, I did a design full landscape with a cottage in the foreground. My colours are bright and dynamic. I loved the bottom bit of it with the abstract shapes. It was very me.

I did a beautiful Monet landscape with a bridge over a river which is the truth of nature. I’ve always have a passion for nature. My colours are subtle and one of my favourite paintings that I’ve done. The colours are mainly greens, different shades of it with white pink dappled about. I loved my stroke work in it.

This painting that I did, it’s a woman pushing back the curtains and looking out of the window, she had a lovely long draping dress, she’s sitting down on a red chair.

I loved the colours in it, with the golden brown dress and earthy colours.

I painted this straight on canvas, using card and paint brushes, first time for everything.

I loved doing it.

This painting is a still life of things that I love, the dolphin cushion, the Special Olympic trophy, a pink and black and white drinking cup and Minnie Mouse slipper and a Great Britain towel.

I love doing this and I do have a wild imagination when I’m painting. Everything in this painting is full of passion, it’s bright and colourful.

This painting is the Girl with a pearl earring. I feel this painting is one my best paintings as a portrait. It did took a while to do.

My best bit is the blue head band and the hair.

This painting jumps out at you as it’s in a black background.

It captures good colour in the portrait and I am good in detail.

I’m showing Mandalas, I’ve done these recently with pencil, compass and ruler. I always choose my colours well, I use felt tip pens and black drawing pens for detail. When I do mandalas, I feel at peace and relaxed. These are the things I will always continue with. Design work is something that I love doing the most. Through school, I’ve been designing on silk and cotton

Fiona Dawson is an Arc Scotland Associate through the National Involvement Network and we know that she will excel in this role and we wish her all the best. It has been a real honour to have Fiona as part of the Little Art School. We are so grateful for Fiona for sharing how much art means to her and how she continues to make art a central part of her life.