Claire McCarthy has created 73 pieces of work for her Expressive Art on the Mersey exhibition on show at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead until May 21. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool artist Claire McCarthy has brought the magic of the River Mersey to life with her first stunning solo exhibition.

Using vivid colours in watercolours, acrylic and oils, Croxteth-born Claire has created 73 pieces of work for her Expressive Art on the Mersey exhibition on show at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead until May 21.

It is an “exploration of captured moments and views” of the Mersey, the docks, ferries and the “life of the maritime industry”.

“Mersey Ferries pretty much allowed me to be an ‘artist in residence’,” Claire told YBNews.

It is not the first time Claire has had public recognition of her work. In 2012 her painting ‘Council House Window and Kitchen Sink in the Morning’ was accepted by the Mall Galleries Threadneedle Prize Exhibition.

She added: “It was inspired by a dream of being in my childhood home in Croxteth with my father, who died in 2005.”

Claire majored in fine art at Liverpool Hope University and later completed a post-graduate degree, at Liverpool John Moores University, qualifying  and then working as a teacher.

While working as a teacher she also produced works of art and her work included a piece she sold to the Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

She left teaching in 2009 to care for her mother, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 2009.

In the past couple of years she has relaunched her career as an artist and was inspired to produce this latest exhibition by The Ship, an album by music artist Brian Eno.

“It wasn’t until I started producing these works that I realised the strong connection I felt to the river and the maritime industry. My father was a docker and other family members had gone to sea,” said Claire.

Addressing guests at the exhibition launch, she said: “This has been an amazing journey for me.

“The river is so powerful and it easy to forget that when you live in land. The maritime companies do so much for us.”

Claire thanked a number of supporters for making the exhibition possible, including the Williamson Gallery, Mersey Ferries, Pip Seymour Fine Art Suppliers, The Dures Partnership, Bibby Marine Service, Liverpool Propeller Club and Liverpool’s Assistant Mayor, Gary Millar.