Award-winning artist Zoë Watson’s success is painted in the stars – and Didsbury

Rebekah Boyd | 9th March 2018

Cheshire-based artist Zoë Watson, who won The Guardian Art Critic award in 2016, will be exhibiting her Galactic collection at The Parsonage Trust Gallery in Didsbury, Manchester, 1-22 April.

Known for her captivating paintings of the heavens and star constellations, Zoë has held a number of exhibitions in and around Manchester before including one at Portico Gallery, however this venue holds fond memories for the artist.

She said: I haven’t exhibited at this gallery before, alongside Turner paintings no less. My Father took me to see them as a child. Galleries are an enticing window especially to children.”

The exhibition consists of 12 original out-of-this-world paintings and is dedicated to Zoë’s late father Bryan Winship Watson, an artist and sculptor. All proceeds will be donated to The Parsonage Trust Gallery.

I hope to transport people to another world. A kind of escape from reality so we can see our significance in the world by observing the vast beauty of the universe.”

The Turner paintings played a great influence in inspiring Zoë to want to create pictures of the sky and above.

Zoë with her father Bryan Winship Watson

Last year, Zoë was praised for her imaginative piece for the Phoenix Post, a charity ran by Dr Sara Payne MBE and Shy Keenan, delivering Emotional Health Services and drug-free Civilian Post Traumatic Stress management tools..

In 2000, Sara’s eight-old-daughter Sarah was abducted, raped and murdered by a known paedophile.

At the same time Shy had already set up and was voluntarily running Phoenix Survivors to help those affected by Operation Phoenix 2000, Merseyside police investigation/conviction of a paedophile network that abused many children , one of those children was Shy.

The picture represented both Dr Payne and Keenan as female silhouettes coming out of the flames.

The exhibition is open 1-22 April, seven days a week, 9.30am-5pm, at The Old Parsonage, Stenner Lane, Manchester, M20 2RQ. There is also a chance to meet the artist on Sunday 8 April 1-3pm.

For more information on Zoë go to: zoewatsonartist.com

For more details on The Phoenix Post click here.

Album 1

Zoë’s art work for The Phoenix PostZoë dancing with her father Bryan WinshipZoë and her father Bryan WinshipArt work by Zoë Watson – star sign constellation – CancerArt work by Zoë Watson – star sign constellation – Capricorn