"I have been painting for almost 34 years now and as a self taught artist my journey has been a both exciting and fraught one!

"I have centred my studies round various subjects, techniques and styles from figurative to abstract. Experimenting and learning through trial and error I have created good works and disasters. The disasters encouraged me to work harder to make the ideas work and the good works enabled me to leave them on one side knowing that I could go back at any time to continue with confidence."

"I have recently been concentrating on expressive works using 'Mixism', a new 'ism' that I have created. 'Mixism' is ideal for my expressive work as it simply means that I have the freedom to not only use mixed media but to use any techniques and styles within one work. Children work this way naturally as they have not been bound by any rules of teaching."

"To be totally expressive I need to be free of any harnesses and have all my mediums set out for spontaneity. My artistic memory bank is able to produce visual pieces at will but I need to be stirred into action by the world around me from the time past or present!"

"Although this expressive style is the centre of my concentration at this time, I am still producing wild life, abstract, still life, collage and figurative works. I have various pieces at different stages of completion set up around my studio this enables me to work on them at any time."

"My plans for the future - my artwork will continue to take it's own unpredictable journey leading on to further experimentation and perhaps some new 'isms'. I will alsohold exhibitions, workshops and presentations to promote and encourage others to participate in the joy of painting!"

Marilyn offers an unusual format to the demonstration, for in addition to demonstrating ways of working with mixed media onto a large canvas, she also talks about her life, art and the progression towards Mixism. She also brings along an exhibition of paintings that contributes largely towards demonstrating how her ideas are developed into a visual concept.

If you are looking for something different for your members that will encourage them to 'think outside of the box' then this is the demonstration for you.