Title: Volunteer Co-chairman / Organiser
Name of Organisation: South East Open Studios
Email: maryedward@aol.com
How long in present post? 5 years, on and off.
What does your organisation do?
We organise an annual event for ?serious? artists and craftspeople across Kent and Sussex and produce a high quality free guide to workplaces where visitors can meet artists.
What does your current job involve?
? Maintaining communications and good relations between all the people who support us
? Co-ordinating the fundraising and membership
? Setting a timetable and (sometimes) taking responsibility for application forms, printing, advertising, publicity, website and training sessions
Who did you used to work for and what did you do?
? I was a diplomatic wife and I worked where I could, teaching and training teachers of English in universities in Thailand, Kenya and the Caribbean
? I started voluntary enterprises (e.g. riding for the disabled) in Lesotho, and an education centre in Botswana)
? In ?retirement? I have at last taken time to paint seriously
What do you enjoy most about your present post?
Getting to know a very diverse group of talented participants who find this scheme is good for their artistic development, their friendships and their pockets
What do you find most difficult in your present post?
Pleasing everybody; feeling sure we can pay; getting enough work done myself
What is your career ambition?
Career? Forget it! But I do want to paint the way I think I can
Who has influenced your career to date most - and why?
My family and others too, including my school art teacher, who was not too embarrassed to be enthusiastic about what she liked looking at
If you could have done any job in the world what would you like to have done?
Been a professional painter from the beginning
If you had three wishes for the future of the arts what would they be?
? Better teaching of visual art and art appreciation in schools; as good as music teaching
? Greater understanding between funders and funded
? An end to pretentious hype