ABOUT ME

My name is Baz Furnell. I’m the wrong side of 40 and have lived in Norwich, England all of my life. I work in a very stressful public sector job and use illustrating as a way to relax. I left school a very long time ago and art was one of the few subjects that I actually enjoyed; however I never really picked up a pen or pencil in over 20 years until I was doodling one day whilst on holiday. Not only did I rediscover the joy of creating something from scratch on a fresh piece of paper, but I also found that it was an excellent way to switch off, relax and unwind. That was around five years ago and I’ve been drawing in my spare time since. ..

 

I’ve gained a following on Instagram for drawing mandalas and other symmetrical designs. I started off by drawing animals and nature, which is another great passion of mine. I managed to create some pencil drawings of animals that I was very proud of once they were finished. However I found the actual process of painstakingly trying to re-create that photo realism in my work slightly unfulfilling. But with the mandalas I found that they gave me the greatest sense of peace whilst creating them. The intricacy, line work and freedom to make up the design as I went along gave me a real sense of satisfaction.

 

 

More recently I’ve introduced much more shading into my designs, which whilst much more time-consuming, also gives them a sense of dimension and depth. This is something that has proved popular and perhaps sets my work aside from many other mandala artists.  

My family was always into drawing or painting, so I guess it’s in my genes. But generally I draw really just to relax. However I have to say with social media these days, it’s really easy to see and connect with so many great artists. The level of talent out there and the access that platforms such as Instagram give to that talent is a constant source of inspiration. My own following on Instagram and the lovely comments I get about my work are certainly reasons to keep going, keep creating. But ultimately it’s the enjoyment I get from drawing that keeps me at it. 

I never really count the time I spend on any piece of work, due to working on multiple projects at once and also because they are created in short sittings in my limited spare time spent around my job and family commitments. However I would guess roughly that some of my bigger pieces of work can easily take upwards of 40 to 50+ hours. 

I’ve never really been comfortable with calling myself an artist; I’m just someone who likes drawing in my spare time. Making money or even earning a living from being an artist has always seemed like a pipe dream to me. But more recently I tentatively began to believe that just maybe I can turn my hobby into a career. I’ve met some amazing and generous people through social media and now my website is up and running where people can purchase my work. Who knows, there may be life after the public sector 9 to 5 yet!