Save our lough

The campaign for saving our lough started years ago, but it was in the summer of 2023 it hit the headlines with images of dead swams and fishmen cutting into the thick green algae like it was wet snd floating on the surface. The water was killing the wildlife and people had noticed the taste of their tap water was different and sometimes cloudy.
But winter came and the algae rests on the lake bed waiting for this summer before it rises again.
So we want to keep this awareness and reach out to more people who may want to be involved. Then this exhibition was created. Hosted in Oxford Island as close to the waters edge as possible. It was an exhibition of Art work from all over Northern Ireland. The open night had performances of musicians, speakers, drama performance pieces and old fairy folk tales of agient ireland and its relationship with the lake.

I submitted 3 paintings

Algae- A view from Oxford Island during the summer of 2023. My signature circles can be seen under the green algae like a virus growing and spreading through the dark water. While bringing a balance with the beautiful upper part of the view showing Oxford Island on a bright summers day. It almost invites you into the water with its crystal reflections but yet the messy thick algae shows off like a warning.

From the many images that was shared on facebook and other social media platforms, this picture stood out to me. As I wondered to myself would these cygnets ever make it to adulthood. Again I used my signature circles as the green algae. I called this painting Just Keep Swimming, as these beautiful birds are helpless in their environment. Best thing for them to do is to avoid it.

Sad Swan was painted from a photograph by Michael Hardy a local fishman on the lough shore. The head is bent low to give a sense of emotion that  the swan is upset that it is covered in this stuff and it is harder to find food.



The exhibition ends on Friday 8th March with the promise of more events such as this for the future.
My artwork will then be on display in Cafes such as the New Haven in Lurgan and if not sold in my Exhibition with Loughside Art Club in April 2024