Hi there. Thanks for taking the time to read this. I wouldn't class myself as an artist or even a proper amateur artist! As a child I was always drawing and painting and was really encouraged in my early years in school. As I reached my early teens however,  things changed. Harsh words by testosterone-filled boys about some of the paintings I was producing in class really hurt me (more than I realised at the time) and looking back now I realise that the only way I could protect myself was to curb the thing that was causing them to be hurtful - so I stopped painting or drawing anything that would attract attention. So paintings of pretty flowers (not macho enough for a teenage boy) changed to paintings of cars. The bullying stopped but looking back now I can see that I also put a stop to my creativity without realising it. So this is really the first attempt back at painting since that time, and I'm trying (with all my might!) to let myself be free creatively. If you're still reading, thanks. I'll try and take a better photo or the picture soon, I know it's not a great shot.  Feel free to contact with feedback if you like to mlocart@hotmail.co.uk