Neston Art Club members' work exhibited at local library

Sophie Thomas, 29, a fine art student from Neston set up Neston Art Club two years ago at Neston Community and Youth Centre (NCYC).

After hosting 23 sessions, Sophie decided it was time to celebrate the artwork created by members of the art club by hosting an exhibition.

She told the Globe: “We collectively came up with the exhibition title of 'Together We Create' and I contacted Neston Library to see if we could host our exhibition there.

“I chose the library as like NCYC it's a hub of the community so it would enable our art club members to gain more connections and also widen our audience to hopefully help other people.”

Neston Art Club artwork on display (Image: Sophie Thomas)

Members who choose to join the art club take part in 10-week sessions where Sophie helps, guides and teaches.

The club’s members ages range from 55-years-old to 96-years-old.

Sophie said: “The aim of the group is to create connections for older people through creativity.

“It’s been an incredible experience to witness over the weeks, a community forging within the group, supporting each other and collaboratively making artwork.

“It’s about improving people’s connection to other people because older people can become so isolated and lose their connections in society. Since joining the club members are meeting up outside of it.”

Artwork by Neston Art Club members (Image: Sophie Thomas)

The exhibition features more than 30 pieces created by club members throughout Neston Library as well as postcards and A1 posters provided by Now Print in Heswall who sponsor the exhibition.

Sophie added: “What you see at the exhibition might not end up in a famous art gallery but for me every artwork I look at I see a story behind it.

“I see a conversation we had together, a shared experience or a connection made.

“I feel honoured that I got to teach them every week but even more honoured that they shared with me stories from their lives.

“Whether that was June and the squirrel who crawled up her curtains, Alan and his adventures with his wife in their classic car or Sheila and her tales of commanding a room as a head teacher.

“Art Club not only gave people a chance to be creative but to share their lives with each other in what can sometimes be an isolating world.

“Every person adds value to the community, no matter what age, they just need the opportunity to be a part of it.”

The exhibition, which launched on September 27, is running until October 31 at Neston Library.