Recently opened by Antrim Mayor and Newtonabbe Councilor Billy Webb and running until April 24, this is a comprehensive exhibition of paintings by some of County Antrim’s finest artists.
The Antrim Art Club was formed in the early 1950s. Mr. Maurice Collis, Accountant, was the first President, and the members of the Committee were Dr. E. Coyle, local businessman Mr. W. Knox, and Mr. B. Reed, Principal/Teacher.
The first meeting was held at the Old Methodist Hall on Fountain Street and continued there for many years.
Noted painter Maurice S. Wilkes (1910–1984) was the first tutor in the first painting workshop on October 19, 1951. And many other famous people in the art world followed this role, including Fred Allen, who was an art teacher at Stranmillis. College and Art Critic at News Letter, Belfast; and the Irish landscape painter Kenneth Webb, Head of Painting at the Ulster College of Art, Belfast (1953–60).
The Art Club was a group of artists from 1951–1965 and held its first exhibition in 1954 at the Eric Kyles Gallery in Antrim, and in the late 1950s members of the club began to meet in the studio on the castle grounds.
Over the years, the Club has been invited to exhibit its work, including at the Antrim Enterprise Center’s 55th Anniversary celebrations and at the Colemans Garden Centre. They have also exhibited at venues such as the Antrim Library, the Theater on the Mill and The Waterfront Hall.
The members have tried their best to keep the club alive during the lockdown, including their first ever online exhibition which has received very good support.
In June, July and August club members drew in the garden and talked about the club’s last 70 years on their Facebook page and at www.antrimartclub.co.uk.
Other highlights in the coming months include a pop-up exhibition at The Junction in November, another online exhibition in December, and also in January of this year, followed by the launch this month of the Club’s 70th Anniversary Exhibition at the Oriel Gallery. .
