AS VICAR of Huddersfield, she never knew she had it in her.
But three months of sabbatical leave have brought out the artist in Canon Catherine Ogle.
And it has also caused more than a raised eyebrow, as among the works are studies of a naked man!
The mum-of-one left her St Peter’s Church parish in safe hands earlier this year to pursue her painting dreams.
Now, she is giving her congregation the chance to glimpse her work by unveiling an art exhibition, including the life study.
The focal point of the 12-piece display is a 5ft-high painting depicting a legend about how the historic church may have been founded during the Middles Ages.
Catherine – whose love of art brought her to Leeds University as a textile design student – wanted to produce a piece of artwork explaining how a Medieval church came to be built on the existing Huddersfield town centre site.
Catherine said: “The painting is the story of an accident, but it has lots of echoes about people who fall or feel like they are drowning. It is an experience a lot of us have had at some time in our lives.
“After the Norman conquest, this area was given to the De Lacey family. One day Walter de Lacey was travelling between Huddersfield and Halifax when he fell off his horse into a swamp.
“He asked that if God saved his life, he would build a church.
“Following that, a church was built on the site where the Victorian parish church stands today.
“I felt it was important to capture this because it was an event that happened that led to the church being founded.
“I wanted the congregation to know about this and also for them to see what I have been doing while I was away.”
Catherine took a three-month sabbatical from January to March this year to brush up on her artistic skills.
She enrolled on a life-painting course in Wakefield to get some practise before starting her church painting.
She also travelled to Italy and visited art galleries in Florence.
She said: “I decided I wanted to do the painting for the church about a year ago, but needed some practice and new skills.
“The course was wonderful – I really enjoyed it.
“I did life-drawing and sculpture at A-level but had never had a model before.
“It is a really significant part of art training and was a brilliant challenge.
“There is something quite spiritual about painting.”
Within her collection – being displayed at St Peter’s Church – is also a head and shoulders painting of her 17-year-old son Thomas and a collage of her mother.
But for Catherine, her sabbatical has re-ignited her love for art.
“It is just exhilarating being part of something creative,” she added.
