Biography

I was born in Scotland in August, 1969.

As a kid, I would roam the scottish countryside with my dog and lie for hours in grass and heather, looking at flowers. I loved to draw flowers in different colours, even colours that were forbidden. Unfortunately, I was told that in order to be an artist, one has to be really, really good.

I took to drawing in my journals, which were only for me.

We moved to Germany and at age 14 my horizon was expanded tenfold.

Our class visited Paris for 10 days and one afternoon we went as a group to the Louvre.

This changed everything for me.

I spent all the remaining days walking the hallways and rooms of the Louvre, taking in every piece of art for hours.

Now I would draw and paint in my journals and leave them for others to see.

I had that dream to study Art or History of Art, but decided not to.

When I became a mother, it all changed.

I got to sit with my kids at a huge table, which we only used for Arts and Crafts.

For years, we would spend hour after hour creating; there was no judgement.

I read once that children like to draw flowers due to their fragile nature.

For many years now, I clearly always return to painting flowers and I come to realize, I may do so because it may give me the comfort I seemed to not have had as a small child.

By painting flowers there is perhaps in me a homesickness for Scotland or a connection to the young girl, which I keep up.  

In many ways I have not only remained a lifelong student of Art but am still that child today, using Art as a consolation within a crazy world............

Nicola J. Smyth

2023