Name: Genevieve Woodbridge
Occupation: Physiotherapist
Joined NSA: Term 4 2011

NSA: What doodle / drawing / painting did you do in your early life that you were the most proud of? How old were you?

GENEVIEVE: Probably a drawing I did in art in year 7- it was a juxtaposition of a buddha’s head with some spoons. (a random combination I know but that is what juxtaposition is about!)

NSA: Have you been always artistic / creative? if so, in what way?

GENEVIEVE: I guess I have always been a bit creative- I loved art, crafty things and taking photos etc growing up. I did art through until year 12 in high school but did photography because I loved it and  I also didn’t think I could paint very well.

NSA: What made you join NSA? Where did you hear/find about NSA?

GENEVIEVE: My Mum bought me a term of drawing classes for my birthday as I hadn’t really done anything “arty” since school. I didn’t think I would paint but I’m really enjoying it. I found NSA searching on the internet.

NSA: If you are allowed to have any famous painting in the world on your wall, what would it be and Why?

GENEVIEVE: Degas- La classe de danse (The Dancing class) c. 1873-75
I think his series of ballet dancers is so beautiful and the texture in the paint is so interesting to look at close up- it would be lovely to have hanging on your wall.

NSA: What are you working on in the class right now and what would you like to achieve with your art within a year?

GENEVIEVE: I just finished a painting of a sunset over a field. I wanted to do something where I could practice being a bit more free with the brush strokes. My painting before was of Loch Fyne in Scotland and the water took me a long time to get right so I wanted to do something that needed a bit less detail. I’m just about to start a new landscape of another bush scene at sunrise (I’m a bit obsessed with skies!). In terms of what I’d like to achieve I really just want to continue to build my skills and enjoy what I’m doing. Perhaps build up to a portrait but I think that will take a while!

NSA: why do you take the class, or what do you get out of it?

GENEVIEVE: I really enjoy coming to class- my job doesn’t have much of a creative outlet so this is great for that and I also find it really relaxing. It’s almost like meditation for me- I come home tired and realise I’ve spent the whole night not thinking about anything other than what I was doing in class.

NSA: Finally, would you design a T-shirt for Mike to wear in the class?

Mike said ” It was obvious from the first class Genevieve could draw but like so many of my students at some early stage chose a career that wasn’t conducive to being creative but was reasonably secure ( what is these days) so needed lots of drawing to blow the cobwebs off as it were,within a year she was asked to submit an oil painting in the art school exhibition at Mosman Art Gallery ”