In her early years, Mrs Castle was a florist, a passion that began in childhood.
“I have just loved flowers since I was very small,” she said
“Early on I learnt what all the plants in our garden were, and my work as an artist has always been inspired by nature.”
After seven years of studying Chinese brush painting, her first commercial foray was painting and selling T-shirts.
This led to an invitation to spend time in Singapore exhibiting her work and teaching students how to paint on fabric.
While living in the Sydney suburb of Belrose, where her husband Ron was captain of the Rural Fire Brigade, she worked in communications for the RFS unit, receiving several awards.
Mr Castle is one of her biggest supporters and frames many of her pieces, which hang throughout their home.
“We met when we were thirteen,” Ron said.
“We went on to marry and have three children – we have been through it all together. I set up and pack up her market stalls.
“I’m very proud of what Lyn’s achieved.”
Mrs Castle’s artistic method involves painting on fabric, with silk being one of her favourites.
She also enhances her pieces with embroidery and other fabric fragments.
One of her most well-known pieces is ‘Window on Kakadu’ featuring plain and printed cotton fabric, silk, sewing thread, cotton embroidery thread, oil sticks, fabric paint, gloss varnish, padding, and silk ribbon.
In 1990 she wrote and published a book ‘The Magic Brush-Creative Brush Design for Fabric Painting’.
Her prolific body of work is exhibited around Australia and overseas. Closer to home, she recently won first prize in the Laurieton-Kew Hometown Craft Award.
Lyn revealed that she didn’t enjoy school.
“I found school difficult, particularly maths,” she said.
“My parents didn’t have much confidence that I would achieve anything.
“I was determined to prove them wrong.”
She’s succeeded.
By Rachael THORPE
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