A SOUTH Cumbrian artist who took up the challenge of creating 100 pieces of art in 100 days will be exhibiting some of the work over the next two weekends.

Former teacher and art therapist Sharon Tait is featured in an exhibition at Space2Create and Artspace at The Factory, in Aynam Road, Kendal over the bank holiday weekend - Saturday May 27 to Monday 29 May - and on Saturday June 3 and Sunday 4, where the works will also be on sale to raise money for the Leonard Cheshire charity and Space2Create.

Dalton-based Sharon’s main passion is photography, and after completing a degree in photographic studies, she worked as a medical photographer and as an art and social therapist with disabled adults before training to be an art and photography teacher at a sixth form college.

In these roles she enabled others to explore art and photography but struggled to find the time to work on her own art. It was only when studying for an MA in multimedia art at Liverpool John Moores University that she found the time to develop her own work.

Following her friend, Alison Barnes, in volunteering with Leonard Cheshire, Sharon helped create an entry for Dalton Carnival, which won an award and led her to become more involved with the charity.


She says: "They were looking for someone to run art projects throughout the year and I became their artist in residence.

"Leonard Cheshire is just like a family - everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you are, or what your needs are.”

The charity supports disabled people in the UK and around the world to fulfil their potential and live the lives they choose. This year marks 100 years since the birth of their founder, Leonard Cheshire, and to celebrate this, the charity asked people to do anything involving the number 100. Sharon rose to the challenge and decided to create an artwork each day for 100 days.

“When I heard about 100 for 100, I thought it would be a great opportunity to return to creating my own work,” she says.

“Because of my own mental health problems, I can go for months without making art. I felt this was a great way to motivate myself and see if I could do this, while raising money for causes that are very important to me.

"It was daunting and I found it difficult at the beginning but by the time I was half way through, something shifted and it became a real pleasure to do each day.”

Each piece on sale in Kendal will cost, appropriately, £100.

Space2Create helps vulnerable adults with long term physical and mental health conditions to recover their well-being through creative activity.

Guests are invited to the opening preview night of Sharon’s exhibition on Friday May 26 from 6pm to 8pm, when they will be able to see and purchase the artworks, and talk to Sharon about the project.