A WALTON based artist who is blind is set to host an art exhibition starting this month, showcasing amazing works of art.
Annie Fennymore, who has been legally blind for 21 years, is returning for the second time to The Driftwood Gallery at Photovogue.
From October 16 to November 4, Annie will be showing off her new work, The Journey, which shows off seven stages of her life, dedicated to her late husband John.
Despite being completely blind and having no training in art, Annie is a highly successful and award-winning artist.
To create her art, she uses blue tac to map out the shapes she wants to paint before spreading paint around the canvas using her fingers.
Annie said: "I am really looking forward to the preview evening on October 23 because I do feel that people are far more relaxed and most have wonderful questions to ask.
"The phrase Blind Artist makes people shake their heads in disbelief and assume that I must have some vision, which I do not.
"The word blind seems to be omitted from the English vocabulary now owing to political correctness.
"However, I use it because the phrase 'severely visually impaired' in place of blind is totally inadequate. We are either blind or partially sighted."
Annie is a registered speaker for Moorfields Eye Hospital, a place boasting its own art collection that includes two of Annie's own pieces.
This year, the artist has won two awards, the UK Enterprise Award for Most Inspiring Sight Impaired artist and one of Silicone Review California 30 Most Escalating Businesses Globally Awards with her business, Blind Alley Arts.
Blind Alley Arts attempts to bring art to those who thought art was never for them.
Annie said: "I do not take myself seriously and laugh now when I look back at school where I dreaded two double lessons of art on a Friday.
"I do take my art seriously and over the years working with Essex sight I took two art groups for the visually impaired and the group became so popular that sighted people wanted to join us so I revamped it and called it 'Paint on'."
The exhibition will be open from 10am to 5pm in the weekdays and 10am-2pm on Saturday.
There will also be a chance to meet Annie herself on Thursdays from 2pm to 4pm.
For more information head to her website: blindalleyart.com
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