All eyes on new Harbour Arts Centre exhibition
A new exhibition supported by North Ayrshire Council’s Arts and Culture team has been unveiled at the Harbour Arts Centre (HAC).
The doors opened at a special preview on Saturday 18 January and the Twist exhibition will run until Saturday 1 March 2025.
Born in South Africa to British parents, the artist in the spotlight, Skyler East, moved to Ayrshire when he was seven years old and grew up in the Garnock Valley.
A Glasgow School of Art graduate, Skyler from Kilbirnie initially studied painting and printmaking and before his time at university, he even attended a portfolio-making course at the HAC as a teen to prepare him for when he first applied to one of Scotland’s most prestigious art schools.
Featuring paintings on canvas with a sculptural quality, Skyler’s debut exhibition at the Harbour Arts Centre is his biggest solo show to date.
Quote: The first in our busy schedule for 2025, the Twist exhibition, delivered in partnership with our Arts and Culture team offers some escapism as we get back into the swing of our busy lives since the end of year break. With a unique breadth of works on display, the exhibition promises something for everyone and a place to reflect, pause and take stock of our own emotions and wellbeing.
Quote from: Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities and Islands
Twist is inspired by the artist's desire to interpret feelings and emotions in a visual format.
Skyler explains: “I am thrilled to be showcasing my latest works at the Harbour Arts Centre, a local venue and cultural hub that I have visited many times as I found my own art style over the years.
“My work is mostly inspired by nature and the fantastic scenery we have around us here in Scotland, but also music is a huge source of inspiration to me too as I find that it is often one of the best mediums for dealing with and expressing emotion.
“Ultimately, I hope to do for painting what music does for expressing emotions. Think of a song that makes you angry, sad or happy, I want to make paintings that do a similar thing.”
Through his latest works, the talented artist explores perceptions that various emotions relate to as he attempts to give form to typically unconscious abstract feelings through a series of paintings and sculptures.
His aesthetic sits somewhere between abstract expressionism and psychedelic impressionism and Skyler hopes to engage his audience with his latest intriguing artworks that are pleasing to the eye and challenging to the mind.
Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities and Islands is encouraging everyone to come along to support the local artist.
He shares: “The Harbour Arts Centre is proud to welcome Skyler to our flagship arts and culture venue for his debut exhibition.
“The location is also accessible and family-friendly with parking nearby and adjacent toilets and café. Come along to be inspired and appreciate the artistic talent making their mark here in North Ayrshire. Works on display are available for purchase.”
For sneak peek pictures and news of other upcoming events, stay tuned to the Harbour Arts Centre on Facebook @HarbourArtsCentre and X @HACIrvine.
Entry is FREE. The Twist exhibition is open in the HAC's Main Galleries on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9.30am until 4.30pm until Saturday 1 March 2025.
Published: 21 January 2025