Artwork created from many different media will go on display next week, when the Isle of Man Arts Society unveils its annual exhibition.

Featuring more than 350 paintings and creations, the exhibition will be housed at the old Shoprite building at the Village Walk, Onchan.

The exhibition is to open on Wednesday, April 12, and will run until Easter Monday.

IoMAS president Des Clague said that he has been amazed by the standard of entries they have received from society members this year.

’I think the standard of artwork is very high here in the island,’ said Des.

’It always has been a high standard of exhibition material by amateur artists. And they are all amateur artists at the society, although you wouldn’t think that, looking at some of the pictures.

’We have 355 pictures on show. They are all different mediums, water colours, pencil sketches, charcoals, acrylics, a whole variety of artistic media.

’I have visited a lot of exhibitions across, by similar art societies, and there is nothing like the size or the standard of the exhibition, that we have put on here today.

Des also said he was glad that the exhibition is back on display at the Village Walk building.

’I’m pretty thrilled about the location,’ he said. ’It gives us plenty of space to open up.

’We moved here last year, and it has really served us well. Its very light, wide open and really shows the pictures of at their best.’

There is a wide variety of subject matter throughout the open exhibition.

Unsurprisingly there are a lot of Manx-themed landscapes, which time and again inspire local artists to capture the beauty of the island’s coastlines and glens, such as Barry Westcott’s sunbeams filtering down on to a tree-lined path, or Ruth Whetstone’s dramatic depiction of Ballaglass waterfalls.

Two pictures with a local theme that caught the eye were Stuart Green’s stunning, realistic depictions of Victorian Douglas, featuring the paddle steamers of the Steam Packet lined up at the quay.

The detail contained is quite stunning, and the vivid, bright quality of the paintings brought the scene to life.

There is also a rain-soaked street scene by Olive Wassall.

There are also some excellent portraiture on display, including Laura Bulgakova’s pastel drawing of a young child and a very realistic family portrait by Liana Rosa, which dominates the exhibition from the back.

There is an artists’ preview evening on the Tuesday, before it opens to the public on Wednesday. It will remain open until Easter Monday.

There will also be a raffle, with the prize being a Paul Parker original.

The exhibition is sponsored by Moore Stephens Isle of Man.

Moore Stephens partner and art enthusiast Clive Dixon said: ’We’re thrilled to be supporting the Isle of Man Art Society’s Easter Exhibition again this year.

’The Isle of Man has an amazing number of very talented artists and as a great supporter, and I look forward to seeing what local artists have created for us this year.’