By Ismay Woods
A COMMUNITY artist well known for his mural work, has described the skills of a 15 year-old as ‘incredible’, and said he was inspired by her talent.
A year 11 GCSE student at Regent House, Olivia Lewis has been drawing since she was able to hold a pencil or crayon, and her passion for art has recently been used to help raise funds for the War Years Remembered museum in Newtownards.
Having been making greeting cards depicting wildlife and local landmarks, including Scrabo Tower and the Harland & Wolf cranes, since she was 12, Olivia was asked by a supporter of the museum and family friend, Peter Forbes, if she would consider drawing an image of Newtownards’ most famous WWII soldier, Lt Col. Robert Blair Mayne.
As a result, sales of the images raised £200, which Olivia presented to the museum recently.
Also at the presentation was Johnny Hamilton – aka Jossiepops – who recently completed a mural of Newtownards Olympic gold medal winning gymnast, Rhys McClenaghan.
Jossiepops had been invited to the museum, along with Blair Mayne’s niece, Fiona Ferguson; the Bangor artist revealed while he may have been asked to attend as an inspiration to Olivia, he was ‘the one leaving inspired’.
“Her work is unreal,” he said, describing the pencil drawing of Blair Mayne as ‘stunning’. Olivia’s cards are sold both online and at Jennifer’s shop in Comber, and the talented youngster has also received commissions for personalised cards, animal portraits, and even a football team.
When asked which genre she prefers, Olivia explained: “The Blair Mayne drawing was the first portrait I had ever done, but I think the landmarks are always going to be my favourite.”
To add to the originality of Olivia’s Blair Mayne portraits, each copy is signed by Fiona Ferguson, and Gary Hull, whose father Billy was the SAS man’s driver at the latter end of the war.
Olivia has also produced a drawing of the Riley Roadster which Blair Mayne was driving on the night he died in an accident in Mill Street, Newtownards, in 1955.
While she plans to continue her educational career on a more academic basis, the teenager is committed to her art, whether that be as a hobby or expanding the commercial side.
Olivia’s Blair Mayne project is ongoing, as she is currently working on a drawing of the statue in Conway Square, and again proceeds from the image will be donated to the War Years Remembered Museum.
Olivia’s work can be viewed and purchased at The Wee Shop at Darragh Road, Comber, and also on her Etsy site: https://artbyolivialewis.etsy.com
