The American psychologist Abraham Maslow placed creativity as one of the facets within a framework of self actualisation; the highest point on his hierarchy of needs pyramid.

Self actualisation was the instinctual need of humans to make the most of their abilities. For me, painting is a source of self expression, enjoyment, and benefits from being therapeutic.

There is nothing more fulfilling than to take a step back and admire something that you've conceptualised and created. The natural world is a place of insurmountable beauty and some of my art work reflects the relationship between man and nature.

My other favourite subjects for painting are the peoples of Africa, adorned in traditional attire or objects that "identify their rich cultural heritage".

Painting allows me to capture memories in a way that a photograph never could. It's an expression that comes from deep within the soul; educational, emotional, inspirational.

I prefer to work with acrylic paints, as these provide a versatile medium and can be used to build up heavy layers or thin washes on almost any surface e.g. bamboo paper, calico, leather or canvas. I sometimes like to incorporate sewing into my paintings and to create transparent paints working with glass panelling. As a teenager, I attended Camberwell School of Arts where I learnt Relief Printing.

My style is impressionism, one of my favourite artists is the French impressionist painter, Claude Monet; however my first influences came from my family.

My mother is a talented artist whose creativity takes on many forms, which I have tried to emulate. At the age of seven my interest was fired by an Art encyclopaedia that my father gave me. My siblings are all good at drawing, so there's always been an interchange of creative ideas.

Painting allows me to stop, think and appreciate the beauty of the natural world. It nurtures creativity, and produces a sense of contribution and self value. In short, my works are a reflection of my thought processes at that point in my life, allowing me to express and communicate beyond words.

© (painting / image) Scherin Barlow Massay, 2007 (all rights reserved)