Two '˜Woods' Have Believed It at Carre Gallery

Two Woods Have Believed It features work by Jenny Wood and Dorothy Wood.

The exhibition will be at the Carre Street venue until Saturday, June 16, with viewing hours from 10am to 4.30pm.

Jenny said: “As a child I filled every available space drawing on address books, walls and on paper.

“The freedom that I had enjoyed as a child, exploring and creating my own worlds in fields, woodland and rivers near where I lived, was shattered in my secondary school years, with bad experiences of boarding school.

“Whilst art school was the next natural choice, I was pushed into graphic design by my parents, insistent that there was no career prospect in ‘fine art or textiles’.

“I would only produce work, for many years, if it was to order and with the belief that ‘it must be just right’.

“There was no room for error, for wastage and therefore no opportunity to play or experiment with different medium or styles.

“The creative flare that I had as a child was lost and it is only now that I am beginning to draw, paint, and stitch, whatever and however I want to.

“I know that I can draw and paint, but I am only just at the beginning of ‘playing’ and seeing what unfolds.

“So this time next year will see a very different style of work as I embark on a new venture, a new creative journey and release the artist that I truly believe lies within as I begin again!”

From her childhood to womanhood, Dorothy always wished she could draw, paint and stitch, and in her late 30s she finally took the plunge.

She said: “From this unpromising beginning I found my creative spark which I nurtured, through trial and error, practise and experimenting, which has led me down many unexpected paths.

“Two City and Guilds qualifications in embroidery opened up a world of creative possibilities.

“I began with no experience of art and very little in embroidery.

“Although daunting at first, this has been a great advantage.

“I am not constrained by any rules, as I know none.

“I approach a lot of my work with the thought ‘what if’, which opens up different ways of working.

“I have developed many new skills including hat making, writing poetry and public speaking, but for me, my greatest achievement has been to go to Nottingham Trent University where, when I was 65, I graduated with a Foundation Science degree in Horticulture and Garden Design.

“I now use my creativity as a garden designer. It is never too late to learn!”