Four Normal People

small owls

'Four Normal People' is the title of my latest painting exhibition- seventy-one oil on canvas works based on the comedy slide show of Kevin McAleer. The slide show was a bit of a cult classic and featured a strange menagerie of found images ranging from the seriously funny owls, to b-movie stills to primitive masks, and everything in between.

The style of the images ranged widely too, from straightforward photos to cartoon figures, and each one presented a different painting challenge. It took me three years to get it all down on canvas, but it was a labour of love. So follow big owl's advice and take a look.

early work
I studied art at Camberwell College in London. Looking back to my final degree show in 1986, I can see how it contained the seeds of all my hopes and dreams for future projects in art and life. That show is still a kind of secret garden for me, a blueprint for my vision of bringing together personal art, community and environment in one creative whole.

community arts
I've been involved in community arts locally since arriving in Omagh twelve years ago. It has been one big adventure, and has allowed me to explore and develop skills such as singing, drumming, creating large and small images with schools and community groups for carnival arts, directing two large scale pageants for St Patrick's Day Festival in Dublin, in 2003 and 2004.

I also enjoyed creating and coordinating a series of intergenerational community art and music projects, and was inspired by the the Living Willow Sculpture project in Arleston Park Omagh. Along with fellow artist Helen McFarland and 120 school children, we planted and weaved a three-circuit labyrinth in the Park as part of the 'Year of the Artist 2000' programme.

the artist's way
Julia Cameron's book 'The Artist's Way' is a great self-help guide for artists and would-be artists from all walks, who struggle with the creative process. I run 12-week programmes of creativity workshops based on the book. These workshops take you through a self development process to understand the negative voice of the inner critic, that holds you back from finishing, or even starting on, your creative dreams.

The 2010 programme is coming soon. Do get in touch if you're interested. Also I'm toying with the idea of a follow-up 12-week programme, for those who have already worked through the Artist's Way, based on Julia Cameron’s second book 'The Vein of Gold'. Here's a nice testimonial from a happy traveller on the Way

In my journey along “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron, Valerie has guided my path through self-doubt, fear of criticism and negative beliefs in my abilities to be creative. By week twelve I didn't want the journey to end. Don’t come if you expect to be taught how to paint a picture or write a book. Come on a twelve week journey of exploration to find the inner you. It will change the way you think about yourself forever. - Pheme Glass

Four Normal People

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