Nurse-turned-artist Elizabeth Hunn distils passion for life on canvas

Elizabeth Hunn’s story is one of spirit … or perhaps spirits.

After more than 40 years of nursing, she took a chance — quitting to become a fulltime artist and distiller.

She tried to enrol in a landscape painting class when she was 50, but it was full.

“They suggested I do a portrait class instead so, from the very first class, I was so excited and I knew that this is what I wanted to do,” she said.

“So then I just practised and practised and practised.”

The distillery label features her artwork — an anatomically correct skeleton thanks to her years in nursing.

But their Kettering distillery was also the inspiration for her shot at the prestigious national portrait competition, the Archibald Prize.

“I love doing portraits because…