Monica Langford

Oil paint is like a drug. Once you've developed the addiction, you never really give it up.

So for 45 years I've painted; allowing for the inevitable breaks when family, work or life in general meant the paints and brushes gathered dust in the cellar.

My older sister studied Fine Art at University (and is a professional artist and teacher), so I did what all younger siblings do and chose not to follow her into Art and studied English instead.

But the itch never went away.

Fortunately London is blessed with great art schools and great artists, all of whom seem generous with their time and encouragement. So after a short break to get the day-job marketing career kickstarted, I undertook a series of courses at St Martins and Chelsea School of Art.

This led to around 7 years as part of Michael Major's studio group (https://www.mikemajor.com) and latterly a Diploma from Martin Kinnear's Norfolk Painting School (http://makinnear.com).

Like Little My in the Moomintroll books who, 'Bites, because I like it', I paint because it's just what I have to do to be me and celebrate what I find beautiful.