LOCAL artist Gail Turner believes art is a great way for people of all ages to express themselves and work through their frustrations.

With this in mind, in the upcoming weeks she is launching an art club for children and teenagers, as well as workshops for adults who have "a passion to paint".

Gail has a background in teaching, and has been involved in art and photography from an early age. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Therapeutic Art for Children with the British Association of Art Therapy in London.

This Saturday (September 4), she is launching 'Fermanagh Art Club' – an informal painting club for young people aged seven to 18.

Its two-hour sessions will run every Saturday and will be based in the Creamery Business Park in Irvinestown, with workshops initially running for six-week blocks.

"The aim of this class is to find out more about how to paint. It is not a therapy session, but you always feel better after painting as it absorbs your full attention," explained Gail.

Noting that adults like to get the chance to meet together, to have a chat and do some painting, Gail is also planning to run individual three-hour workshop sessions, entitled 'Freedom2Paint'.

"Sometimes people have painted in the past but a busy life has got in the way and they would like an opportunity to get back to the easel. No prior experience is necessary for either group – just the passion to paint," said Gail, who will be teaching painting with acrylics and will provide all the necessary materials

The Freedom2Paint workshops will take place at her studio in Letterbreen, which is set in a hidden gem of a garden at Cloonaveel.

With her workshops, Gail’s goal is to help people to enjoy making art and find some joy and fulfilment in that.

Last year, Gail set up the website www.helpformentalhealth.co.uk and is keen to also use art as a way for people to put down their worries and express themselves through painting.

Explaining why she believes art is a great way to help those who struggle with their mental wellbeing, Gail said: "Sometimes when people have been through trauma or so on, there are some things they can't discuss or know what the problem is.

"But because art comes from your subconscious, really, it enables a person to work through things without vocabulary.

"This is a way to find the art that comes out of you – not judging yourself constantly by what you see around you," she added.

Talking about how she has benefitted personally from practising art, Gail said: "People talk about gardening being a mindful practice, so art is the same.

"It absorbs your full attention, it helps you focus away from other issues so you are totally engaged in something else.

"Sometimes, then, the problem resolves itself without you getting in the middle of it," she told this newspaper.