A DAUGHTER who struggled to come to terms with her mum’s death has found a new form of escape in art.

Carrie-Anne Wintin, from Witham, lost her mum Tracy Pringle to cancer on New Year’s Eve.

Five months later and Mrs Wintin, 26, of Braintree Road, is starting to feel her mum’s absence.

Taking up her mum’s passion for art, she has discovered it is a great form of therapy.

She said: “It took a long time before it actually hit me she had gone, in the past month there has been the realisation she isn’t coming back.

“I wasn’t myself, but after making the memorial books for the funeral I felt I really enjoyed it.

“I had a photo I took of a sunset and painted that, lots of people said it was really good so I just started doing more from there.”

Before the Alec Hunter Academy teacher died from brain and lung cancer aged 46, she created paintings for friends, family members and the school.

Her painting to Carrie-Anne was of a beach they had visited, and she had signed it ‘mummy’.

Mrs Wintin said: “She was very creative, she could put her hand to anything and it would usually come out well.

“She got into painting at Farleigh Hospice, she went there weekly for respite and she started the classes there.”

Carrie-Anne’s husband Jason, with whom she has a two-year-old son, Albert, is supportive of her new venture following in her mum’s footsteps.

Braintree and Witham Times:

She said: “I’m a stay at home mum and Jason said to look into art classes so I can try and do this full time.

“Even when I say something is no good, he tells me not to put myself down.”

She said it has helped her clear her mind and gives her a sense of achievement.

She said: “It’s weird as I can be having the worst day possible and I will sit and draw or finish one of my paintings and I just disappear.“

She has already sold two paintings and is taking on commissions. Visit Mindful Art on Facebook.