Exhibition sketches life-time of creativity

Wanganui artist Patsy Trail celebrates a journey of making art with her first solo exhibition, My Art Story. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

Patsy Trail's first solo exhibition looks back over a life-time of making art.

Her exhibition, My Art Story, opens today at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre Gallery and runs until September 30.

The artwork covers nearly her entire lifespan, from fancy embroidery and crochet she made as a child to recent paintings.

Some of the work includes clothing that she made for her children.

"My husband was a teacher, and we had five small children, so making their clothes was a necessity," Mrs Trail said.

Over the years she took short art courses to hone her skills and, as her children grew up, she moved on from sewing, embroidery and patchwork to painting and collage.

"I've been interested in art and creativity all my life," she said.

The exhibition came about after Mrs Trail was offered the space at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre Gallery.

"I had been thinking about having an exhibition, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity."

Mrs Trail has taken part in group exhibitions before, but this will be her first solo exhibition. She said she was looking forward to it.

"It's taken me a while. I suppose in the past I've been worried that established artists will think, 'Who does she think she is?' But I'm older now, I'm not worried anymore," she said.