Start Painting Folk Art

Do you long to paint but think you can't? I understand the feeling because once that was me too. Now I delight in having a paintbrush in my hand.

All my life I had been crafty, doing lots of knitting, sewing and crocheting, plus lots of other crafts. As a child I loved to paint.  Each Christmas and birthday I hoped for a new set of paints. 

Time passes. I spent it having children, doing gardening, and raising lots of animals like goats, donkeys, sheep and smaller livestock like rabbits, chickens, ducks and geese.

When the time was right I took my first 'grown-up' painting class. The style I opted for was just making its first tippy-toe steps into Australia in 1989. Well, the first class came and went and I eagerly looked forward to the next week, then the next. I had withdrawal symptoms when I was not there and wanted to learn more and more.

By the next year I was teaching this new, simple way of painting to a class of eager students in a smaller country town. They were just as eager as I was. 

My life was changed by 

a paintbrush and paint. 

I discovered a love of colour. Colour meant nothing to my mother. She always said it didn't matter. She grew up in a different era where there was no room to be choosey. To me, colour was and still is, VERY important. 

For years I taught many classes a week to eager students who stimulated me to learn more. I longed to write a book to help others learn to paint - people who could not get to my classes. Eventually it became a reality.

'Getting started in Bavarian Folk Art' by Therese Vahland

A second book followed.

'Companion to Getting started in Bavarian Folk Art' by Therese Vahland

Painting, paint and all its paraphernalia took over my life. Over the years my painting style improved and changed. I began to experiment. First I used acrylic paints as watercolours, then I used watercolour paints themselves. Well, all my dreams came true when I used watercolour paints. Here was colour that dould be reworked - just add a little water. Acrylics give vivid colour and dry quickly, but once they are dry, they cannot be reworked. There are benefits to both types of paints. Now I move between the two as the mood takes me and depending on what the subject matter is. 

Come join me in my love of painting the simple style of folk art. The beauty of folk art is that you are guided through every step along the way. It is perfect for beginners. You do not need to know how to draw or paint to begin this. My books walk you through every step of the way.

You can find more information about the books on my webpage. 

Join me on Istagram to see some of my colourful work. Don't get a shock now. 

Remember, I love colour. 

@tossyv