Hi °C | Lo °C One of Northern Ireland's most renowned painters is offering 10 burgeoning artists the opportunity to showcase their work alongside his own.
For the next few weeks, the "rock 'n' roll" artist William Mulhall - who has painted music legends such as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Bono - will be displaying some of his most famous pieces as part of an exhibition in the Odyssey Pavilion.
The artist first came to prominence in the 1970s for designing a poster for a gig at the Ulster Hall by the English rock group Led Zeppelin. He now wants to give struggling artists the chance to shine over the coming weeks.
Last week Mulhall unveiled his portrait of the US music legend Bruce Springsteen to the Northern Ireland public to coincide with the Odyssey concert by the Boss.
Next week the Co Down artist will unveil a portrait of Cliff Richard to coincide with the Bachelor Boy's concert and will continue to unveil other works over the coming weeks. He decided that this would be a great opportunity to give other artists a chance to shine.
"I wants to give some of Ulster's up-and-coming artists the chance to display their art in an environment that they would not normally be able to do so," he said.
"I also love encouraging young people from here to get involved in the arts.
"We have had 30 years of negativity. Now it's time for 30 years of creativity."
Mulhall has been working closely with the Odyssey Pavilion to implement a number of art projects in the lead-up to Christmas. He said he had agreed to construct a larger-than-life homage to some of Northern Ireland's greatest figures for the Odyssey Pavilion next year.
Northern Ireland Success Stories will feature about 30 giant portraits of Ulster's best-known faces.
"I am going to paint portraits of famous people such as George Best, Seamus Heaney and the like but not politicians," he said.
"Only people from the arts, science and other areas not politics."
Artists interested in showcasing their work alongside Mulhall's should call the Odyssey Pavilion marketing manager Johanne Madeley on (028) 9046 7002.
