Being Colour Blind Is No Bar To Local Vicar's Painting Success

Rev Martine Oborne finds art to be spiritually nourishing

Local vicar the Rev Martine Oborne of St Michael's Church, Elmwood Road, has a secret passion for painting.

And this is despite the fact that she is almost completely colour blind.

She tells us about what inspires her to get the paints and brushes out.

"I have painted and drawn all my life. It’s something that is truly part of me. Constantly in my life I have tried to set it aside to focus exclusively on other things but it always comes creeping back in.

"I have illustrated children’s books and kept sketchbooks. I have drawn in pen and ink, painted in watercolours and pastels. I have made digital images and sculptures. And over the last two years I have been working with oils.

Peter Oborne, painted by Martine

"I’m most interested in drawing people, especially faces. I love faces and drawing them is a way of exploring them and catching a glimpse into someone’s inner life. Our faces are all so special.

"As a Vicar, I find it very spiritually nourishing to set aside a bit of time each week to paint. I try to do this for three hours on Wednesdays and I am always amazed to find how the three hours pass in what seems like only half an hour.

"Although I know I can draw well and work tonally to good effect, I am greatly challenged as a painter because I am quite badly colour blind – which is a real disability when it comes to painting. Nonetheless, I enjoy the challenge and I guess nothing will ever stop me from doing some form of art.

"Painting is also a good thing to do with friends. And I work on Wednesdays with a group of other local artists at a studio in Duke’s Meadows. It’s great to have the companionship and inspiration of working alongside others – and sharing our passion together."

That local group, Studio 19, is now putting on an exhibition, including some of Martine's paintings, on – Friday 14 December – in St Michael’s Church hall in Elmwood Rd W4 3DY. Open from 10 am, with private viewing 6-8 pm.

You can learn more from the St Michael's website.

December 10, 2018