Anne Crozier
My background is in farming, having grown up in North Somerset. I went to school in Bath and then went on to train in the hotel and catering industry.
Shortly after marriage my husband and I went on to start farming on our own in Kent. We were there for seven years, we then moved to Princetown to an extensive moorland farm where we survived for thirty years!
This is my second time of isolation as we were involved in the Foot and Mouth crisis in 2001 and I moved away from home so that I could care for the livestock on our lowland farm.
On partial retirement we moved to Bere Alston where we were able to gradually slow down. Last year we went through the trauma of finally selling our livestock and machinery to completely retire! I was directly involved with the Tavistock Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild for over 25 years, serving both as Chair and Treasurer. In 1995 I was lucky enough to travel with the Guild to India where we travelled to the remote villages of Gujarat and Rajasthan to visit local craftspeople. This trip had a lasting impression on me – their skills in using the simplest items at their disposal and of course the wonderful use of vibrant colour.
What is your favourite place?
Never happier that spuddling around in the garden. Walking the dogs to enjoy the ever changing season of the hedgerows.
What's your favourite book and film?
No real favourite, at present Enjoying Peter Lovesey, his character, Peter Diamond, a modern day, no nonsense, warm hearted police detective in Bath. I’m also dipping into a very old book - The Cherry Tree by Adrian Bell. Set in the 1930s and very evocative of life in the countryside and the local characters.
I have always had a love of art and would attend classes as and when I could. About 10 years ago I joined Walkhampton Art Group and learnt so much from the various tutors giving me the opportunity to try out so many different media. At present I belong to Tavistock Group of Artists, Buckland Art Group and Buckland Chapel Group. I only joined Drawn to the Valley in 2018 and have reaped so much to further my personal development.
My problem – I love working with so many different media, which was remarked on at my first Open Studio last year when so many people left lovely comments in my visitor’s book.
Pottery – I dabbled with for a few years with U3A and really enjoyed.
Embroidery – painting with the needle, adding texture…..
Printing – mostly drypoint, originally using a converted pasta press but now utilising an Xpress machine.
Pastels – after attending workshops with the lovely Daphne Leeworthy and Iain Grant I was hooked. The immediacy of colour…….
Acrylics – yes.
Oils – no, though Iain is trying to encourage me – they take too long to dry!
Achievements
Two lovely sons and the planting of an orchard, so I have offset my carbon footprint!
Would like to meet
Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt – who is he you ask? He built Tor Royal, our home on Dartmoor for thirty years; he was instrumental in having the village and prison built. He brought the railway to Princetown and was keen to improve the living conditions of the locals.
Currently working on…..
A piece of embroidery based on a frame from a beehive! Trying to formulate a piece based on the poem A Sheep Fair by Thomas Hardy – you can see my roots are firmly embedded in the soil of the West Country!