Paint For Pleasure At Delamont Country Park

Patricia McCormick, a highly experienced artist from Killyleagh, is offering an exciting art session, ‘Painting for Pleasure‘, this coming Saturday 20th May in Delamont’s Country Park.

You don’t have to bring any art materials but if you are not bringing your own paint and brushes etc, do give Patricia a ring first so she can ensure you have suitable materials to work with on the day. This will be a very interesting session which will accommodate everyone from beginners to the advanced artist.

Over her lifetime, Patricia, a former pupil of Down High School, has held quite a number of exhibitions and ran many courses in painting. She was an art teacher at Grosvenor Grammar School for 37 years. Her love of art has been with her  always. She said: “I can remember in my early years, one teacher, Mr Mitchell, was very supportive and a great influence on my art development.

“Eventually I did an A-Level in Art in one year, quite unheard of back in those days, and progressed to the University of Ulster art college in Belfast and had the great fortune to be taught by my tutor Neil Shawcross, himself a very well known artist who I later became friends with.  I completed a BA Honours in Art (Ceramics) but gravitated towards painting. I even achieved a Fulbright scholarship for a teacher exchange which was a great honour and experience for me as the Americans really have a deep love and appreciation of art.

“I had many wonderful experiences in teaching art. At one stage I taught art to a special needs group which was a great experience. But eventually when I retired, I decided to keep an interest in promoting art.”

Many years ago Patricia joined the Downpatrick Art Society, one of its early members, and has always exhibited her works at their annual exhibitions. She added: “I have been a member since I was at school when I was 15, and I’ve exhibited every year. I’m preparing some paintings just now for the next exhibition.

“Over my teaching career I was also a GCSE and A-Level Art and Design assessor  and I have always been amazed at the abundance of talent that exists in our country.”

Patricia is a traditional painter, who loves watercolour, but also paints in oils and acrylics. Landscapes and seascapes are her favourite subject, but she explained that she paints everything that takes her fancy including abstract and semi-abstract art. “I love the work of the late James Watson who was a watercolorist who painted mainly around Portaferry and Strangford.”

But Patricia has another string too to her bow. She is also a qualified yoga teacher. And on the same day she will be offering a separate yoga session for those who are just beginning or who and more advanced. So all-in-all, this will prove to be a very relaxing day in Delamont if you sign up for the two sessions.

When she was much younger, Patricia was something of a live wire and was even a Northern Ireland disco dancing champion! Her fitness and suppleness also were attributed to her involvement in gymnastics at Down High School. But in later years, Patricia has settled for a less active and more sedate interest in yoga. She said: “I have a diploma in teaching yoga, and I would recommend that everyone tries to get to grips with the basics as yoga is very beneficial to health mentally and physically. I have also studied Reiki to master level, which is also a very useful ancient method to promote wellbeing.”

So if you would like to get involved in this day of art and yoga (both can be taken separately if wished), give Patricia McCormick a ring on 07762823133.

or drop her an email: pmccormickart@gmail.com

Come along, bring a friend, and enjoy a relaxing session of art / and or yoga by a very experienced art lover and teacher of art.

Check out Patricia’s event page on Facebook to book into the event.