S17E04 Roslyn Oakes

Roslyn Oakes interest in art started at a very young age, drawing and creating things from bits and pieces as soon as she was able to hold a pencil or use a pair of scissors. From the age of five or six she wanted to be an artist, by six or seven she became interested in paper dolls, making her own and designing their clothes, this developed into an interest in dress designing. Roslyn often designed and made her own clothes.

After her children had grownRoslyn Oakes decided to pursue her interest in art finding art classes available in Murwillumbah taught by Graeme Stevenson our very own host and artist. Classes ran for a short time, but long enough to inspire her to continue. Graeme encouraged Roslyn to continue and when hungry for more classes and opportunities she headed to the Caldera Art Gallery where she met Andy Remanis (Another CILY Alumni) and other like minded people and was invited to help with the Green Cauldren Panorama, a three hundred and sixty degree painting of The Tweed area encompassing the entire caldera, which took a total of twelve months to complete.

Roslyn Oakes life has been enriched by art enjoying pastel, acrylic and oil mediums. She likes to paint anything that catches her eye, but is particularly inspired by the native flora and fauna of the Murwillumbah region and quite often depicts these images in her paintings. She also enjoys painting portraits of her grandchildren and when she has the chance enjoys life drawing with both charcoal and ink.

Roslyn Oakes enjoys entering art competitions and has won numerous prizes ranging from framers choice, peoples choice, 2nd, 3rd, highly commended and overall winner. Roslyn worked with Graeme Stevenson with Paint Your Life Foundation, both in a teaching and fundraising capacity and ran art classes at Heritage Lodge Nursing Home with the residents which she found very rewarding. It is amazing the difference art can make to peoples lives. Roslyn Oakes hopes to do more teaching in the future as anything that involves art and or craft interests her.

Roslyn Oakes advice to anyone thinking of taking up painting is; look for inspiration in your world and what is relevant to you, if you paint what you like or are passionate about your paintings will always be wonderful.