A WEST Belfast poet and artist has described her emotion after securing her first permanent exhibition in the Ulster Museum.
Paula McVeigh-Monaghan was born in 1969 and grew up in Andersonstown during the Troubles. As a child, she produced a series of drawings in response to her harrowing experiences and what she witnessed including visiting her brother in prison, British army raids on her home and her mother helping someone who had been shot.
Years later after studying Art at college, her teacher inspired her to write a story associated with the drawings.
The result is an exhibition in the form of a scrapbook, which has secured a permanent spot in the Ulster Museum.
"It all started when I was 50 years of age, I went back to study Art at college," explained Paula. "I was two years into the course and picked conflict as my theme.
"Growing up as a kid in West Belfast during the Troubles, I always drew pictures of real-life events and kept them in a shoebox.
"Daily life went on as usual with the bombs and shootings going on. It was very upsetting to see as a child and still is very emotional today. There is a girl with a red bow in all the pictures and that represents me.
"I showed them to my Art teacher who said I could really take it somewhere. I then described the real-life images in a poem format.
"I was then visiting the Ulster Museum with my grandsons and one of them, Charlie said my project would look really good on display in it."
Paula with her grandchild Charlie
Paula contacted the Art and History curator at the museum and a year later, her project is now on display as a permanent exhibition.
"I am absolutely delighted to have it here. My grandchildren are able to see it which means a lot to me," she added.
"None of my family knew I had all the pictures in a box. It was sort of something you didn’t talk about. It is a relief to finally tell my story. I know a lot of people will be able to relate to it and hopefully find some comfort in it as well."
You can connect with Paula on Facebook and Twitter 'Paula's Scribbles'.
