A Dumbarton-based artist is bringing colour, creativity and relaxation ‘to the masses’ with her fun art classes.

Sarah Jayne McGlashan, 39, is determined to give people in the area the confidence to embrace their artistic skills and realise that art is for everyone

Previously based at a community Space at the Artizan Centre, Sarah Jayne has recently moved her classes to Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland in Dumbarton.

And she is keen to welcome students of any age and ability in her mission to get people embracing their artistic side.

Sarah Jayne said: “Art is for everyone. I want to bring art to the masses. A lot of people think, ‘I can’t draw or paint.

“But art’s so accessible. I want people to stop panicking.”

Sarah Jayne uses techniques such as ‘blind drawing’, in which students are encouraged to draw a subject without looking at the paper, to help them build confidence in their abilities.

And she says taking some time out to focus on creating can bring a huge sense of relief to individuals in their life in general – not just while they are putting pen or paint to paper.

“I’m just offering a safe space for people to come and create. People say to me that they don’t know where to start,” she told the Reporter.

“But we just take it from there.

“I just feel so blessed to share this with people. The thing I love the most is when I hear students say, ‘I feel so good when I leave this class’.

“You can apply it to your life as well. It’s all about living in the moment.”

Sarah Jayne currently offers a weekend programme of different painting and drawing themes, allowing people the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild.

Adult sessions include figure drawing – which the artist often changes up to feature quirky subjects for budding artists to get to grips with.

Sarah Jayne, who has been running her sessions for around three years, said: “I’ve changed it to different themes. For example, a couple of weeks ago we had the model on roller skates. It’s great fun.

“I like to source our inspirational material from our local environment, also like to promote our very talented local photographers like Kieran Gorman Photography and Katie Polluckus Hughes Photography, who kindly allow us to reference their photos for painting and drawing projects.”

And the dream for Sarah Jayne is to one day have her own studio, sharing her passion for art in her classes on a daily basis.

She said: “I’ve always wanted to be an artist. I’m living the dream.

“I’m really looking for my own space. I would do an art class every day. I’m still searching for more people who’d like to come along to the classes.”

Sarah Jayne is at the Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland store on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Materials are provided, and sessions are offered at £5 per hour for any class.

For more information and to which classes Sarah Jayne offers week-by-week, head to her Facebook page: ‘Art Classes with Van Gash’.