An artist who has not shown her work for more than 15 years is holding an exhibition in Ramsgate.
Maria Cook – known as Maria Arty Girl- is displaying ‘A Festival of Colours’ at the The Front Room Gallery at 10 Bellevue Road.
The 53-year-old says she hopes to ‘brighten up the world’ and support the Ramsgate arts scene.
The mum-of-one, who has lived in Ramsgate for more than a decade after moving from Maidstone to be closer to her mum, trained at Maidstone KIAD before achieving her BA degree in fine arts from Canterbury KIAD in 2007.
But there has been a long period where she has not displayed work. She said: “I was quite ill and going in and out of hospital. My artwork was in my mum’s garage and later on got stored.
“But during covid I managed to get back some pieces and I made new pieces. It took three months to get everything ready for presentation.
“I was scared to do it at first and couldn’t imagine myself having a solo exhibition but my partner Regan saw the potential in me and so did my family.”
The Front Room gallery owner let Maria have the space and The Festival of Colours is now on display.
Maria said: “My art work is bright and different and has not been seen for a long time. I also have my ‘secret artist’ Regan with one piece that really stands out and goes well with what I have done.
“I’d like to put something back and also support local arts in Ramsgate.”
A Festival of Colours is open at the Bellevue Road gallery on February 25, 26 and 27th from noon to 4pm.