Blind artist from Clayton Brook to exhibit at world-class gallery

Partially blind artist, Justine Raith has been awarded exhibition space in a gallery, part of Tate Britain pictured at her Clayton Brook home with her painting of Bardsey Island, North Wales

When art student Justine Raith, whose sight is blurry and who only has tunnel vision, discovered one of her paintings was chosen to be exhibited at a gallery which is part of Tate Britain she was “gobsmacked”.

She is one of about 130 winners from all over the world who have been selected in the Royal Water Colour Society’s Contemporary Watercolour Competition, 2017 to display their work at the Royal Watercolour Society at Bankside Gallery in London.

Justine is due to exhibit her watercolour called Bardsey Island, North Wales, at the Gallery from March 3 – 15.

The 37 year old, who started painting at the age of 16, said: “I was gobsmacked. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I, as a registered blind artist, would get this far against talented, fully sighted, artists.”

Asked how she paints with a limited ability to see Justine said: “I concentrate a lot on part of the view and then I visualise it, I’m good at detail and colour so I don’t have to look back.”

The Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) was founded in 1804 and is the oldest and most prestigious watercolour society in the world.