Friends of a 94-year-old Skye artist have gathered together paintings she had given away over the years to fulfil her wish of putting on an exhibition of her work before she dies.
Stella Cherry, of Eynort, has painted a wide variety of images over the course of her long life – many featuring her life in Scotland, but also vibrant images from her travels in Spain and Cuba.
The retired teacher told friends she would dearly love to see them brought together for an exhibition, while she was still around to see it.
And her dream came true today with the start of a display of her paintings, together with the work of other local artists and crafts people, in Minginish Community Hall at Portnalong.
Mrs Cherry’s friend and neighbour, Linda Bird, has helped to organise the event, which runs until Saturday.
Mrs Bird said: “Stella is not morbid about it. She’s just being realistic.
“She said she wanted an exhibition of her paintings before she died and, if she didn’t last that long, it was to be done anyway. I’m just glad she is still here to see it.
“This exhibition brings back wonderful memories of the many places she has visited and painted and the interesting people she met along the way, many of whom have become friends.”
Mrs Bird added that arranging the exhibition had been made more difficult because they had to track down Mrs Cherry’s paintings, many of which had been given away and some were on long-term loan at places like Campbeltown Heritage Centre.
She said: “We’ve tracked down as many as we could and we’ve managed to gather 31 of them together for the exhibition.”
Most of Mrs Cherry’s works of art are acrylics, but they also include a number of oil paintings.
Mrs Bird said: “Painting remains a passion for Stella, but her failing eyesight has forced her to adapt and she now paints on a black base so the colours are highlighted.
“She is particularly keen that other painters should not five up with failing eyesight, but try to find a way of working around this.”
The free exhibition is open from 11am to 5pm today, tomorrow, Thursday and Saturday and from 11am to 8pm on Friday.
Mrs Cherry is hoping to be at the exhibition most of the time.
Refreshments will be on sale to cover the cost of the event.
