Artist ‘reignites passion’ for painting with exhibition

A DUNGANNON woman is hoping to turn her passion for painting into a career as she hosts her first art exhibition next month.

Aideen Mockford, 51, has been an artist for many years but had to take a career break for the last 20 years to care for her mother.

She told the Dungannon Herald, “This is about reigniting my passion, which is why ‘Light and Passion’ is the name of the exhibition. Sadly I lost my mother on December 1 last year and then my daddy died on March 1 this year, so it has been a rough time.

“As a carer, I wouldn’t have done anything else but now I’ve taken into my art to help heal and just to explore something I’ve always loved and always had a passion for.”

The exhibition, which will take place at Ranfurly House, will feature an “eclectic mix” of Aideen’s acrylic artwork with a number of “stunning scenes”, including seascapes, dynamic figures and vibrant portrayals of the local countryside.

“The exhibition is a case of challenging myself and giving myself a focus coming off the back of being a carer for 20 years and the death of my parents; I knew I was going to need a focus,” she said.

Aideen was the youngest of nine growing up and the daughter of Jim Kelly, the former principal of a boy’s secondary school in Dungannon.

She said that she tries to “include art in everything I do”, which has included her involvement with a recently opened National Autistic Society branch in Dungannon where she painted the murals.

On taking on this new challenge later in life, Aideen said, “I’m a firm believer of following your passion in life, whether you’re 18 or fifty-something like myself.

“Art is just something I’m passionate about and I feel the need to paint all of the time.”

Visitors can attend the exhibition at Ranfurly House for free from November 1-29.

By James Kelly

j.kelly@ulsterherald.com