Jill Hammond has been a Cheltenham local for just over a decade now.

After leaving her job of thirty years as an art teacher to concentrate on developing her own art, Jill moved to the Cotswolds from her native Yorkshire in 2009.

“My interest in art started when I was quite young as my mother had an artistic bent and was often drawing, sewing or knitting,” she said. “I can remember entering Blue Peter competitions and still have a Blue Peter badge!

“I don’t have any one influence, it can come from anywhere. I could go to an exhibition and see something I like, or just be flicking through a magazine and pick up on a colour scheme.

“I never seem to have any trouble wondering what to paint. If I see something – a poster, postcard, or a view – I will keep the image for later use as a painting or part of a painting. I usually work from my own observations, photographs or en plein air.”

Jill’s work has featured in several exhibitions around the county, specialist art magazines and last year won a prize at Broadway Arts Festival.

She produces a variety of subject matter including landscapes, townscapes, seascapes and still life, with Cheltenham becoming a favourite subject, and the Promenade and Montpellier featuring heavily.

Jill continued: “I’m a mixed media artist so I might start with an outline then move on to collage, inks and paints adding more details of collage towards the end.

“I can pick out things and especially when I’m painting a picture of Cheltenham, I’ll take cut outs from The Local Answer and use them for windows, trees, shop signs or street names, things which are particularly suitable for Cheltenham.

“It’s a style I’ve developed over the years from experimenting and looking at how other artists work and paint.”

Jill is also a member of the Cheltenham Art Club, and would recommend joining a group of this type to anyone who wants to get involved in art.

“We have our own studio and we do all sorts like portraits, life drawings, demonstrations and workshops,” she added.

“Anyone interested in art should think about joining a club – it’s great for learning new things, getting feedback, and more.”

Jill’s work can be viewed on www.cheltenham-art.com and also at both the Open Studios exhibition and Art in the Park this June.