In this week’s spotlight, we meet Emma Cavill, a student who lives and creates art in the beautiful rural town of Somerset, England.
Q: Emma, give us a day in your life! Where are you from? When do you create?
A: I live on a dairy farm in rural Somerset, England, with my best friend and husband Mark, and our 3 young boys, Will, Tommy and Oscar. Ten years ago we left our stressful corporate careers in IT to move back to Somerset and take over Mark’s family farm for a change of lifestyle that would allow us to raise children where they would have space and freedom. We have diversified and also run a “glamping” business, which I love because it keeps me in contact with people, and allows me to be as creative as I like with our marketing and decor of the tents etc.
I usually create in the evening when my children are tucked up in bed asleep. Now that they are all at school age, I also try and find some time in the day in between chores and work, to make some art, or at least check in on the SkoolYard and see what everyone is up to! I also love to create with my children, and we often sit together, and do our own “draw with me” sessions in which they choose what we will draw, and then we spend half an hour to an hour sketching or painting. They all have their own sketchbooks and like to share my art materials!
Q: How did your creative journey start?
A: I always loved art when I was little. I remember making lots of cartoon art, and I loved sketching and painting animals. At school I doodled in my exercise books constantly in lessons! My love for art tapered off at college – I had an art teacher that I didn’t gel with, and dropped the subject. I think I spent a long time trying to fill the creative hole that left. Photography was a big part of my life for a while and I loved learning all about that art, from old school film and dark rooms, and then into the digital age. Once I became a mum of little kids, I found that I was no longer able to carry around a big camera, or have the time to set up shots and be as creative as I’d like, so that too fell to the wayside. Two years ago, I found Sketchbook Skool, and rediscovered my love of sketching and painting. Now it really is part of my daily life, and I am so grateful that I found the Skool and this wonderful community to help keep me inspired and motivated!
Q: What has your creative practice taught you?
A: It has taught me to slow down, be in the moment, and really observe and appreciate everything around me – from the beauty of my sleeping children’s faces, to the clutter and mayhem of daily life!
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a brand new artist or someone who’s just recently joined SBS, what would it be?
A: Practice, practice, practice. You really do improve in confidence and ability when you just draw and don’t worry about the outcome – enjoy the process. (Oops, that is three pieces of advice 😉