FEATURED MEMBER
This section highlights members and their own artistic stories, whether their preference is Art, Craft or Photography.
This month we are Introducing Sharon McLeod,
A member of the Dalgety Bay Art Club since 2022, Sharon is a valuable asset to the club and is currently the club's Secretary.
To see more of Sharon's pictures check out her GALLERY
This month we are Introducing Sharon McLeod,
A member of the Dalgety Bay Art Club since 2022, Sharon is a valuable asset to the club and is currently the club's Secretary.
To see more of Sharon's pictures check out her GALLERY
Sharon tells her story.
I moved to Dalgety Bay in 1971 from Preston starting at Dalgety Primary and then Inverkeithing High School. My first role on leaving school was as a Puppeteer at the Whale Puppet Company in Rosyth. Fantastic job for a school leaver and a great start to my creative journey. My main career started when I joined Lloyds Bowmaker Printing Department as a Print Finisher, moving on to the Origination Department as a Typesetter and then Graphic Designer. I loved working in the Dark Room with the Photography and plate processing equipment best as it was very calming with the red light. The camera was huge, as tall as me and we used it to produce clip art. After 15yrs in the Printing I moved to the IT Department, whilst it was new to me working on a Windows PC with my experience on Apple Mac’s doing graphic design I soon settled into the role of IT Help Desk but enjoyed a move to the Server Team where I became the SME for the Tivoli System Backups. I completed 32yrs at Lloyds and was the first to put my hand up when a very welcome opportunity arose for voluntary redundancy. I wanted a change and decided to become a Carer. I loved the basic nursing training given and then took on a role as a Carer in Dalgety after so many years working in Edinburgh it was great to be working in my home community. I took retirement when Covid hit as I was self-employed by this time although I continued with my volunteer role at Day Care for a couple of years.
My interest in Art was re-kindled during Covid where I followed online tutorials for Watercolour and this encouraged me to take the next step of joining the Art Club in 2022 post Covid restrictions.
I took part in my first DBAC Exhibition May 2022, helping sell the wordsearch and a spell on the Sales team. I loved the experience especially when I put through the sale of my first painting!
I attended some great workshops organised by our very own Jan Callender as well as demonstrations. The first one I remember attending was a Portrait workshop by Claire Russel, I don’t enjoy painting people but did enjoy gaining new skills and it was a good introduction to club members that I hadn’t previously met. I do the odd portrait now but it is still a challenge. I have spent time with Acrylic, Pastel and I am now dipping my toes in with Pyrography. My favourite workshop was the creation of a wired dragonfly, would love to do a hare next if Alice is reading this ??. My art style is often inspired from my photographs (I love the rail bridge) but that is usually where realism ends and my fantasy style takes over often with a dandelion thrown in for good measure. I love walking around the coastline in Fife with my sketching companions Rowena and Ingrid. These plein air experiences shared with cake, brought us together to create COAST in 2023 which was a very successful exhibition held within the Art Club. COAST 2026 planning is now underway.
I started on the Committee in September 2022 and enjoyed a maintenance role where I organised the painting of the outside of the Art Club and became the Trailer Lead for the Exhibitions (which I immediately outsourced to the Scouts and my husband/son), fortunately we now have a strong trailer team with Bill taking over Maintenance and Dinnes/Alan/Newman joining the team, spurred on by Elaine and Gregor on traffic control. We are always looking for people to join this enthusiastic team…
September 2024, I became the Secretary. When I first joined the club, I tried a few sessions but found a home with the Friday Evening Session. Since joining the club, I have enjoyed making many new friends and it really is a home from home feeling when you walk through the Art Club Door.
If you are wondering I am the person on the left in the Photo. Last year it was my Ruby Wedding and I celebrated by seeing AC/DC my favourite Heavy Rock group.
I moved to Dalgety Bay in 1971 from Preston starting at Dalgety Primary and then Inverkeithing High School. My first role on leaving school was as a Puppeteer at the Whale Puppet Company in Rosyth. Fantastic job for a school leaver and a great start to my creative journey. My main career started when I joined Lloyds Bowmaker Printing Department as a Print Finisher, moving on to the Origination Department as a Typesetter and then Graphic Designer. I loved working in the Dark Room with the Photography and plate processing equipment best as it was very calming with the red light. The camera was huge, as tall as me and we used it to produce clip art. After 15yrs in the Printing I moved to the IT Department, whilst it was new to me working on a Windows PC with my experience on Apple Mac’s doing graphic design I soon settled into the role of IT Help Desk but enjoyed a move to the Server Team where I became the SME for the Tivoli System Backups. I completed 32yrs at Lloyds and was the first to put my hand up when a very welcome opportunity arose for voluntary redundancy. I wanted a change and decided to become a Carer. I loved the basic nursing training given and then took on a role as a Carer in Dalgety after so many years working in Edinburgh it was great to be working in my home community. I took retirement when Covid hit as I was self-employed by this time although I continued with my volunteer role at Day Care for a couple of years.
My interest in Art was re-kindled during Covid where I followed online tutorials for Watercolour and this encouraged me to take the next step of joining the Art Club in 2022 post Covid restrictions.
I took part in my first DBAC Exhibition May 2022, helping sell the wordsearch and a spell on the Sales team. I loved the experience especially when I put through the sale of my first painting!
I attended some great workshops organised by our very own Jan Callender as well as demonstrations. The first one I remember attending was a Portrait workshop by Claire Russel, I don’t enjoy painting people but did enjoy gaining new skills and it was a good introduction to club members that I hadn’t previously met. I do the odd portrait now but it is still a challenge. I have spent time with Acrylic, Pastel and I am now dipping my toes in with Pyrography. My favourite workshop was the creation of a wired dragonfly, would love to do a hare next if Alice is reading this ??. My art style is often inspired from my photographs (I love the rail bridge) but that is usually where realism ends and my fantasy style takes over often with a dandelion thrown in for good measure. I love walking around the coastline in Fife with my sketching companions Rowena and Ingrid. These plein air experiences shared with cake, brought us together to create COAST in 2023 which was a very successful exhibition held within the Art Club. COAST 2026 planning is now underway.
I started on the Committee in September 2022 and enjoyed a maintenance role where I organised the painting of the outside of the Art Club and became the Trailer Lead for the Exhibitions (which I immediately outsourced to the Scouts and my husband/son), fortunately we now have a strong trailer team with Bill taking over Maintenance and Dinnes/Alan/Newman joining the team, spurred on by Elaine and Gregor on traffic control. We are always looking for people to join this enthusiastic team…
September 2024, I became the Secretary. When I first joined the club, I tried a few sessions but found a home with the Friday Evening Session. Since joining the club, I have enjoyed making many new friends and it really is a home from home feeling when you walk through the Art Club Door.
If you are wondering I am the person on the left in the Photo. Last year it was my Ruby Wedding and I celebrated by seeing AC/DC my favourite Heavy Rock group.
