Hi there, I’m Leila Godden. I have been selling my paintings professionally since 2004, and have been one of the Art2Arts artists since February 2009. This morning I carefully packed up one of my paintings for an Art2Arts customer, and imagined her excitement at receiving it.
2009 was the first year I sold my paintings over the internet, having been successful in traditional galleries prior to that. I was sceptical at first, wondering whether people really do buy over the net. My experience has proved that it is a great way to buy art if you use a good quality website, with excellent images and descriptions, and the assurance of a money back guarantee. You can relax at home and take your time to browse. It’s a real thrill to receive a painting you have chosen, and also for me, the artist, to receive positive feedback, and, as in the case of the painting today, repeat purchases.
My great passion is painting seascapes, and particularly waves. I grew up in Scarborough, on the cold North East Coast, and spent much of my childhood on the beach, paddling, mooching around in rockpools and just playing in the sand. These experiences are key to my paintings, and, having lived inland for many years now, (the beautiful Cotswolds for the last 16) I am moving to Sussex, not too far from Brighton, and within easy access of the sight & sounds of the sea.
Because of this, I have a large selection of paintings reduced by up to 50% in the Boxing Day sales with Art2Arts, which is likely to be a one off for me.
I have always loved painting & drawing, and my Mum used to run a local art club, which I loved attending, and sold my first painting at the age of 12. I continued to sell regularly at the annual summer exhibition, until I was distracted by the practicalities of life and finding a “proper” job. It hadn’t occurred to me to earn a living from painting. A BSc in Business studies was followed by12 busy years in corporate finance, and it was some time before I found time to paint again, gaining an A level in art & Design at evening class, and then a part time Diploma at Herefordshire College of Art & Design, which I absolutely loved.
Since then, I have had several solo shows, and my paintings are enjoyed in Italy, France, the USA, Israel and Hong Kong, as well as the UK. I have travelled to the Maldives and enjoyed the fabulous turquoise waves, and last year I also trained as a Life Coach, to help other people achieve what they want. Sometimes it seems just enough to hang on in there rather than be proactive about creating the future we really want, but there are always ways in which you can do something positive, whatever is going on around you. A recession is not an easy time for many of us, and the coaching experience has been invaluable to me in my progress as an artist.
My newest work is more focussed, and builds on previous exploration of texture and form. This painting in particular opened up a new way of working for me, where I am concentrating on the wave, capturing a unique moment in time, and painting a portrait of the wave in that moment.
Most of us have our own experiences and memories of a walk on the beach, or relaxing on holiday. These paintings inspire you to enjoy them. This one sold quickly, and has inspired me to work on a whole new series called “Portait of a Wave”.
