News from Tynemouth
Painter Exhibits Marine Art at Blue Reef
Local artist Lillian Ainscow is exhibiting a series of her marine life pictures at Tynemouth's Blue Reef Aquarium to raise money for the Marine Conservation Society.
Originally from Rome, Lillian has lived in Tynemouth for the past 15 years and began painting in 1995.
She has put 10 of her works on show, all with a marine theme and painted in a mixture of watercolours and pastels.
Among the subjects she has chosen to go on display are a sea turtle, otters, a white tip shark, a coral reef, a kelp forest, a lion fish and a sea snake.
All the works are for sale with a third of the cost of each painting going to the Marine Conservation Society.
Commenting on the choice of the aquatic environment as the subject for her art Lillian said: "The sea and underwater life is where we come from and we should try and preserve the amazing world we have been donated."
It's the first time Blue Reef has displayed art that is for sale in the aquarium and staff are hoping it will prove popular with visitors.
"We hope the mini-exhibition will offer visitors to the aquarium another insight into the world of underwater life and maybe even inspire some budding artists to take the plunge," explained Blue Reef's Anna Etchells.
"There's also the incentive that any painting sold will include a sizeable donation to a marine conservation organisation and support the work of a local artist," she added.
The paintings will be on show at the aquarium until the end October 2008.
