On the day the current lockdown was announced, one of the youngest artists in the Isle of Man was preparing to open his first solo exhibition.

Eleven-year-old Thomas McAleer had his artwork hung on the walls and was ready to open the doors on his debut arts display ’I Draw a Bit’ at the Erin Arts Centre on the same night when the latest raft of social restrictions were announced.

’I was very upset and a bit angry when I heard the news’, admitted Thomas.

’However, I want to go ahead with the exhibition as soon as the lockdown is over. The Erin Arts Centre said they would still hold it for me when everything is open again.’

Thomas, who is in year six at St John’s Primary School, was set to open his exhibition, featuring a wide range of his paintings and digital creations.

Encouraged from an early age by his mother, Claire Patterson, an art teacher at QEII High School, Thomas has explored many different styles of art and creative crafts.

After showing a lot of promise, and creating a lot of eye-catching designs, Thomas was offered an exhibition by the arts centre after he opened a stall at the Peel Carnival, selling prints of his art work, helped by his mother.

’I was so happy to have my own exhibition,’ said Thomas.

’I could never have imagined that anyone would give someone like me a space like that to have my own exhibition. I was very surprised and very excited. So I was a bit upset when it [lockdown] happened as I had spent a lot of time working to get everything finished and ready to put on display.’

Thomas’ work is a variety of themes and media, mixing watercolour pictures with digital creations.

During the last lockdown, he scoured the internet looking for new artists and was also inspired by a local online art project, the Alphabet Challenge, which encourages people to creates pieces of art connected with a letter of the week.

’One piece took me nearly three days to finish, while some took a day or at least many hours to complete.

’There are some that I was able to do in half an hour, but I did spend a long time getting ready and I was looking forward to holding the exhibition.’

Thomas said that he has been spending the lockdown working on new pieces of art when the time permits, even though his school work takes up most of his day.

The Erin Arts Centre will announce a new date as soon as they are able to.