Mary Dennis

Like most people without any qualifications I started work at fifteen, and back then jobs were plentiful in the pottery industry. My first job was as a paintress on Spode where I served an apprenticeship. Coalport, part of the then Wedgewood group, was where I trained as a ceramic artist and I finished my career at Staffordshire Enamels, painting enamel boxes free hand. So in retirement I really missed having a brush in my hand but unfortunately I knew nothing of the art world. The variety of mediums and canvases left me wondering if I could ever bridge the gap. The challenge was which to choose! . By a stroke of good fortune I joined an art class for “relaxation” ran by Jo Watson. No pressure to pass exams, it was simply about enjoying art, and I am thrilled to write it still gives me immense pleasure today. It is exciting trying new techniques, some successful, others not, but it’s all about the learning process and having a love of art. A few years down the line I hope I will be able to say I get as much enjoyment out of painting as I do today.