I first started painting about 25 years ago. Initially, I started to paint because I needed a way to earn additional income to fund my growing family and decided to have a go at painting a local scene. I had never had an art lesson and didn't do much art at school but I have learnt from watching videos, reading books and lots of lots of practice! My first painting was of a boat on a local river at Christchurch. I put it in a frame and plucked up the courage to take it to the owner of a local art shop and asked if he would consider trying to sell it for me. He agreed and put it on an easel in the shop window. Every time I walked past that shop and saw my painting in the window, it gave me such a buzz! Within a couple of weeks it sold! Wow! my painting sold! I asked if he would consider taking in more paintings and the rest is history! I may have started painting to increase my income, but it quickly become the love of my life and I am never happier than when I am painting. I live, sleep and breathe painting and once a painting is finished, I can't wait to start another one. I have sold thousands of paintings, cards and stones in the last few years. It fills me with such pride and joy to know that my art is in homes in several countries of the world.

I continue to use my birth name of Judith Rowe as I started painting before I met my husband and as I was known by that name for my art before we married, I decided to continue using that name.

In many of my paintings there are three birds in the sky which I have made my "trademark". When I was about 11 years old, I had a pet jackdaw which my father had rescued after falling out of its nest. I looked after it and it became so tame that it followed me everywhere, riding on the handlebars of my bike and flying across the fields to land on my arm when I called his name. He was so clever and so mischievous! In memory of my wonderful childhood and to keep his memory alive, my jackdaw lives on in the skies of my paintings.

(Judith Shires T/a Judith Rowe Countryside Paintings)