Welcome Elsie May, to the blog world!

Welcome!

Recently I joined the 'Twitter' clan, and since reading so many beautiful looking blogs online, I decided it was a great idea that I should also start one... So here it goes!

The last few weeks I had been struggling to get to grips with the functionality of 'Twitter' and 'Tweeting'.  Now I think I've cracked it and am a lot more comfortable with it.  Its so fabulous to talk with other like minded people and read new fascinating facts about history and of local interest. I must admit, I am hooked!

So, a little bit about me... My name is Victoria and since graduating from 'The Norwich School of Art and Design' in 2008, I have had a few varied employment duties, reception work, admin work etc... but none of which made me feel 'worthy'. 

In 2010 I decided to take a trip to the wonderful USA for 2 months on my own.  I started on the East coast in Boston and travelled over 5000 miles to the West coast, using only the infamous 'Greyhound Buses'.  This was one of the best things I have ever done in my whole life! I visited... Boston, Salem, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Saint Louis, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Huston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.... The trip of a lifetime!...

But to make it even more pleasurable, I got my dream ink job whilst I was out there... I have ALWAYS been obsessed with portraits, I remember visiting galleries at a young age with my parents, gazing at portraits in beautiful frames, wondering how something could be painted by hand, to look real, it was as if life had been created again.  I wanted this, I wanted the portrait I had gazed at the most in my life, on my arm, I wanted the best portrait tattoo artist in the world to do it, and I did. I first saw his work at the age of 19 in a magazine and always promised myself, one day, Nikko Hurtado would do it... http://www.nikkohurtado.com/

So, that portrait, was that of my Nan, 'Elsie May', the image to which you are seeing in the background.  Also the name of my future artwork.  As my Nan was also an artist and through her time, never got the chance to embrace it, flourish and express her full potential as an artist... So in her memory I am carrying that dream for the both of us.

I still find it hard sometimes, especially since January 28th just passed, was the 15th year anniversary of her death.  But with her portrait on my arm, close to my heart it helps me to stay focused and create wonderful artwork for others to enjoy.

So.... all thats left to say is, I paint portrait miniatures, create illustrations of local scenes in Ipswich and am generally an 'arty farty' person...

Welcome! :)