Mary Clare Albanozzo is currently holding an exhibition of her watercolours and other paintings entitled A Cross-Section of my Art Life at Heritage Malta head office, Merchant Street, Valletta, next door to the Jesuit church. The exhibit will run up to 1 July.

Mary Clare was born in Sliema, Malta in December 1945. She does not remember a time when she didn't paint but only started formal art training in 1995 when she joined The Malta School of Art, graduating with a diploma in Fine Art (painting) in 1999. She studied painting under the tutorship of Alfred Portelli and Tony Sciberras, and History of Art with Emmanuel Fiorentino. The subject chosen for her dissertation was Illuminated Manuscripts, still one of her favourite topics.

She has been an active member of the Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce for a number of years and has taken part regularly in its many exhibitions and also in other collective exhibitions, with Matthew Cassar as her tutor. She is also a member of the Society of Pastel Artists.

Mary Clare has attended outdoor watercolour sessions with John Martin Borg, who continued to fire her passion for the medium. She also paints in acrylics, gouache, oils, pen and ink, charcoal and pastels, mainly Maltese landscapes and seascapes. She also loves to paint butterflies, which fascinate her.

The paintings on show will be recent paintings as well as a selection from her works over the years, including some of her illuminated manuscripts.

Part of the proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to Dar tal-Providenza and the Caritas Drug Program.

Heritage Malta is open Monday to Fridays between 8am and 4pm and on certain Sundays 9am to 12.30pm (for Sundays please confirm on mob: 9988 1197).