Karen Reep

I have always loved art. From a very young age, I wanted to pursue it, but unfortunately, when I was at school, I was not allowed to go to art school. In those days, I was expected to get a “proper job”, so I followed a very different path and spent my working life as a nursing sister in paediatrics — a career I absolutely loved.

But I never stopped drawing.

Throughout my nursing career, art was always part of my life. During the COVID pandemic, I began drawing my colleagues, capturing those extraordinary moments in time so that we would never forget the incredible people who worked through such a difficult period. I was delighted when the BBC featured my paintings and shared the story behind them.

Around the same time, I began drawing people’s pets in fine-art detail using pencil and pastels. This eventually set me on the path to pursuing my artistic passion as a second career after retiring from nursing.

Today, I am a full-time, self-taught artist. I work in a variety of mediums — I can never quite decide which one I like best, much to the frustration of the art world! My work ranges from detailed animal portraits and commissions to wildlife painting, with hares being one of my favourite subjects.

I have always loved music too, although I can’t sing and can’t play a note!

The inspiration for Hidden Talent came from the wonderful musician Julian Cohen. Through his music videos and performances, Julian brings talented people out of the shadows in towns and cities, giving them the opportunity to play instruments, sing and dance and share their incredible abilities with others. His work celebrates people who might otherwise never have had the opportunity to show what they can do.

This really resonated with me.

Having struggled at school and feeling that I was somewhat neurodiverse, I was encouraged towards a traditional academic and professional career rather than being given the opportunity to explore my creativity. Looking back, I often wonder how many people in our society have a hidden talent that they never get the chance to discover, develop or share.

Hidden Talent is my celebration of those people.

I wanted the painting to feel vibrant, colourful, quirky and a little bit messy — full of energy and life. I painted it while listening to Julian Cohen’s music, allowing the rhythm and atmosphere of his work to influence the way I painted.

For me, Hidden Talent is about much more than music or art. It is about opportunity, individuality and the extraordinary things that can happen when people are given the chance to express themselves.

I believe our whole society is enriched when we encourage people to discover their creativity, celebrate their individuality and bring their talents out of the shadows.

Sometimes, all it takes is for someone to give you the opportunity.