Artist gives guided tour of popular exhibition 'A Good Drying Day'

VISITORS to the Braid in Ballymena were recently given the opportunity to meet the artist behind the popular exhibition 'A Good Drying Day'.

The exhibition by Alex Dewart showcases a celebration of the lives of her family over several decades and opened at The Braid on Saturday, June 25.

During the pandemic International artist Alex came up with the idea to scan family photographs onto tea towels. Hung on washing lines, the 30 unique tea towels document family life from 1903 – 1987 in Ballymena and Carnlough.

On Wednesday of last week Alex treated guests to a tour of the exhibition. She said she was delighted at the response so far and revealed that the exhibition will be heading to Poland next summer.

Alex, who lives in Marlow said: “It is so lovely to be able to have the exhibition here in Ballymena right where it all began. The response has been great and this is a wonderful opportunity to be able to meet people and discuss the project with them.

“It is an exhibition based on my family's history but I hope that other people can relate to it and see their own similarities in it.”

Alex explained that everything on each tea towel has a meaning from photographs of trips to Portrush, Carnlough in the 1950's and Garfield Place in Ballymena, built as a row of Mill houses, where she lived with her family until 1966.

Alex came up with the idea for the creative project during the Covid-19 lockdown periods in 2020 and 2021.

With family connections in the Borough, Alex was inspired by the people, places and events featured in informal family photographs.

She is hoping the exhibition will also prove a hit in Poland next summer.

Alex added: “I was invited via a friend in Berlin to take it to a museum in Poland which focuses on working class life and they have in particular an exhibition of laundrys and mangles. It will be very interesting to see what they think of working class life in Ballymena and Carnlough over the years.”

'A Good Drying Day’ will be on display with free admission at The Braid in Ballymena until Saturday 10 September.