Val Morsman : Original work

Val was born in England in 1942 and grew up in Kent before moving to Newton Ferrers, Devon in 1984.

Her love of painting started at an early age but through life events and changing circumstances she was never formally trained. Undaunted, she is a fantastic example of how anyone can paint successfully if they can tease out colours and shapes from everyday scenes, be that a cow peering over a fence, a beach goer, an overgrown allotment or a Moroccan souk!

Observing the colours of life and transferring them to paper and canvas, makes Val feel inspired. Her love of loose watercolour and latterly her intense colour combinations in acrylic, oil and collage have led her to give regular workshops and exhibit all over the Westcountry, including several times in the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy.

Val’s aim is to enjoy the process of painting whilst continuing to learn new techniques. Known for her versatility she is constantly reassessing how she depicts things she sees and is often motivated by what she calls ‘happy accidents’ with the paint, which suggest a new theme or mood.

Her current love involves random collage with acrylics, producing a lightly impressionistic, colourful image. “Boats are a favourite at present” she says, “but many other subjects and media are calling for attention”.