The colourful sheep of Fleecy Sunshine have their home at one of our CADS studios. Elizabeth Crossley and Paul Sewell are two of the very talented artists of our community. Here, Elizabeth tells us a bit more about her art.
by Roxana Soica / 29 July 2015
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| Rainbow Ram and Son by Elizabeth Crossley |
I went to Sheffield
Art College for five years many years ago and I did Sculpture for my main
subject. I was very passionate about it but it was very difficult to continue
while also bringing up two children.
Paul, on the other
hand, has only started painting just over a year ago. He used to run a pub and
had never done any painting in his life before.
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| Old Church. Lubeck in Winter by Paul Sewell |
When did you take over the studio at CADS?
Well, I live in a flat
and, about three years ago when my son came back home, I had no room to paint anymore
and I decided to take the studio. He is now gone, but I am still keeping it,
because it’s a space just for me and it’s so nice and quiet! I go to there
about twice a week, sometimes three times, but I also run some art groups for
adults (see below for times) and take
care of my grandson so I am kept fairly busy.
Tell me a bit more about you as an artist. What artists do
you admire? What medium do you prefer?
I really like Claude Lorrain
and Picasso. I also like sculpture very much. As for a prefered medium, I think
it would be watercolours and acrylics. I have done lots of watercolours, as
well as oils – and I did make some little sculptures as well. Nowadays I do
acrylics mainly because they are light to move around (as I don’t drive) and because
they don’t need framing.
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| Piccadilly Sheep by Elizabeth Crossley |
What about your subject matter? Why the sheep?
I was born in London and
we moved up here when I was about seven years old. When we arrived here, I was
absolutely taken with the sheep on the moors and being able to go and feed them.
I had seen nothing like that in the middle of London… and that was it, really.
I suppose I’ve always liked sheep.
I used to do more
traditional paintings – things like snow scenes with sheep and so on – and I
still can do them, but at some point I decided to try and develop it into
something different. Then, a few years ago, I did my first painting of
multicoloured sheep. I entered the Great Sheffield Art Show and I won the Octagon
Prize. I was so thrilled! And I suppose that’s what’s kept me going!
I guess you can’t keep any sheep since you said you live in
a flat, but have you any pets at all?
I love animals!
Unfortunately I’m not allowed to have dogs in my flat but I do have a little goldfish
in an aquarium.
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| Colour Blind by Elizabeth Crossley |
Elizabeth’s work has been exhibited at the Bradfield Art & Craft Fair, Art in the Gardens (at the Sheffield
Botanical Gardens), as well as the Great
Sheffield Art Show.
She also runs art groups at the following locations:
Wood Lane Countryside Centre, Stannington
Mon (9-12): Painting for Pleasure
Mon (7-9 pm): Structured Course
Christ Church, Manchester Road, Stocksbridge
Tues (10-12): Painting for Pleasure
St Mary's Church Hall, South Road, Walkley
Wed (10-12): Structured course
Visit www.fleecysunshine.com to view and purchase Elizabeth and Paul's artwork.