New exhibition to celebrate life and sea live of Strangford

30 May 2012

STRAWBERRY Fair in Strangford is hosting an art exhibition to tie in with the local Turn o’ the Tide festival.

Barbara Allen’s Bouillabaisse And the Galway Hooker is a celebration of the fish, fowl and floating vessels of Strangford Lough.

The watercolours will be on display from Friday until June 11 at Strawberry Fair, which is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm.

Barbara is best known for her renderings of vernacular architecture, but a chance visit to Portmore pier in Malin, Donegal inspired Barbara with the perfect subject to diversify into.

The fishermen were bringing in their catch of mackerel, gunard, crab and lobster — so a lobster was brought home that evening to Barbara’s holiday home near Malin town and was swiftly sketched, photographed, cooked and consumed.

Consequently Fridays are busy for Barbara as she visits her local fishmonger at St. George’s Market in Belfast. Here she looks for anything unusual in the catch, such as ray bream, and rushes home to sketch, photograph and devour.

Barbara’s fish prints were originally designed as affordable artwork for the kitchen, but are also used in schools and seafood restaurants.

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