Another new business is opening in Andover town centre.
Award-winning artist Alex McGarry has ‘quietly’ moved into her newly decorated studio on Waterloo Court (left before you enter the main Chantry Centre entrance) in Andover.
Until the official opening on Saturday 5th October, Alex will be seen with her oil paints and easel, painting in the window.
She told local radio station 95.9FM Andover Radio that she invites people to pop in and interrupt her working when she’s open (Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9.00am to 2.30pm), when she’ll encourage you to enter her competition to win an original oil painting (see picture, below).
In the former shop of David Mellor Family Jewellers, the ‘Alex McGarry Studio and Art Gallery’ will have an official launch event on Saturday 5th October, where “fizz and things” will be available to visitors.
Alex is the daughter of world-renowned African wildlife painter Pip McGarry and was inspired by the work of her father.
Alex and her husband Nick have been renovating the old jewellery shop to look more like an art gallery, during this time she has already sold three paintings from her existing collection.
“I got into art because of my Dad, and finished my first painting, a British deer, at the age of nine”, says Alex. “When you come in to look around you will see lots of British animals, I particularly like painting hares. On the gallery walls are a variety of British wildlife and farmyard animals.”
Alex sold her first painting aged just 16.
Alex’s art is a bright combination of traditional oil painting techniques with a contemporary composition.
As well as being a successful and award-winning artist, (she won the coveted Fine Art Trade Guild’s ‘Up and Coming Artist‘ award in May this year), Alex has a background in retail management and interior design.
Having signed a full-term lease, Alex’s gallery is one of the two new businesses recently assisted into the town centre by the Andover BID organisation.
Pop into Alex’s gallery at 10 Waverley Buildings, Waterloo Court in Andover. And take a peek at her work on her Facebook page here.
