Gerry Wilmer

Gerry studied textiles at Loughborough College of Art and Design.  For many years following she earned her living making embroidered pictures and teaching in arts centres and colleges.  One of her designs was published by a card company and on the proceeds of this she fulfilled a lifelong dream to travel and sketched in different countries on the way.  Her travels inspired her to develop the tiny pictures she had been making into much larger scale fine art painting in acrylics and oils on big canvases.

Following a long period of ill health when Gerry could not pursue her art, Gerry has recently started painting again.  A grant from the Eaton Fund has enabled her to take part in Hertfordshire's Open Studios Project and 'get going' again in her efforts to revive her art career.  The money from the Eaton Fund helped Gerry to provide painting materials for a community mural, new frames and mounts, and equipment to enable her to produce a range of cards.

The picture featured is called Storm Tree.  It is an oil on canvas, 7' x 5'.  It is about the emotional storms of life passing, with the peace and light that come after a storm.  The tree is just a little sapling growing out of the water, a symbol of new growth.  Gerry says "it took six months to paint, but was very therapeutic as it seemed to mirror my own recovery process from depression."

October 2008