Doreen Buttigieg started woodcuts in 2002 when she attended a printing course at the Malta School of Art in Valletta under the instruction of Anton Grech. At the start of her artistic career she attended the diploma course at the School of Art for five years. She then settled in Vienna, where she was attached with the United Nations at the International Atomic Energy Agency. During her time in Vienna, Doreen attended art classes at the Kunstschule Vienna. After returning to Malta, she was captivated by the printing technique, one of which being woodcuts, which continue to inspire her to create a diversity of prints. Doreen also attends various workshops in figure drawing and landscape painting. She has also attended workshops in Vienna and in July of last year she attended a Lithography course in Munich, Germany under the guidance of Eduard Schmid.

Doreen also paints in watercolour, oils and acrylics, with a bold use of colour and texture. Her influences and style are influenced by her mood and by her surroundings.

Her work is in private collections throughout Europe and she has previously exhibited work in collective exhibitions in Malta, Gozo, Bath and Vienna. She has just taken part in her first solo exhibition at The Maltese German Circle. The exhibition included 27 original woodcut prints produced during 2003.

n How old are you? Star sign and date of birth?

46 years old, Scorpio – 3 November 1959.

n What would you like to be doing in 10 years’ time?

I would like to be retired, dedicating most of my time to art.

n What is your idea of perfect happiness?

When I feel as if I am floating instead of walking; when I wake up in the morning, with a peaceful and calm feeling; when my inner self is in line with my outer self.

n What is your favourite occupation?

When I was working at the bank dealing with various customers. I enjoy meeting people.

n What is your greatest fear?

That something will happen to my boys.

n What is it that you most value in your friends?

Honesty and truthfulness. My closest friend is my husband Mario, he is always truthful and I always know where I stand with him.

n How would you like to die?

In my sleep.

n What is your greatest extravagance?

A Persian carpet.

n What is your greatest regret?

I have a few, but the one I regret the most would be when I hurt someone close to my heart very deeply.

n What is your most treasured possession?

My two boys, Matthew and Sean and my husband Mario.

n Which talent would you most like to have apart from the ones you already have?

I would have liked to sing. When I was young I used to dream that I was singing in a concert and people cheered.

n What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Death – whenever someone I know dies, I am in such pain. Pain for the things I did not say to them and pain because I will never see them again. I am a big believer in showing my love to my family and friends because they might be taken away from me suddenly and I would regret not having shown them my feelings.

n Where would you like to live?

Near the sea. I would love to have my house on a beach somewhere.

n What is your most marked characteristic?

Oh I don’t know, I guess people find me friendly and I am a good listener.

n Who are your heroes/heroines in real life?

I tend to admire strong people, people like Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, people who went through a lot of suffering but still came out as heroes.

n What is it that you most dislike?

Situations in which one person tries to put down another just because he or she is in a disadvantaged position. I also dislike coffee, never tasted it but I am sure I would dislike it very much if I did.

n What is your motto?

Life is too short. I always get this picture in my head of a huge white canvas, beautiful on its own, but in one corner there is a little tiny black spot. This spot is insignificant, but people tend to worry so much over this spot and forget the rest of the white canvas!

My motto is to enjoy the white canvas and forget the tiny black spot.