Ards Arts Centre is pleased to announce the opening of two new exhibitions this spring: A Fig for a Kiss by Belfast-based artist Naomi Litvack, and The Luthier’s Tale, a photographic exploration of skilled guitar making presented as part of the Ards International Guitar Festival. Both exhibitions will run from Thursday 26 March to Saturday 25 April.
In A Fig for a Kiss Naomi Litvack focuses on organic worlds, reflecting on memory, observation, and the fleeting act of looking – seeking to transform passing impressions through painting. The work explores materiality and process, with paintings that engage as much with the medium of paint itself as with image. Litvack explores the natural world using paint combined with print, collage and drawing to create layered surfaces filled with forms, scribbles, layers and loops.
Based in Belfast, Litvack holds a BA in Fine Art from Manchester School of Art and an MFA from Ulster University. She is a member of QSS Artist Studios.
An opening reception will take place on Thursday 26 March from 7–9pm, where visitors can enjoy a complimentary drink, meet the artist, and explore the work.
Also opening on 26 March, The Luthier’s Tale celebrates the craftsmanship at the heart of Newtownards’ guitar‑making heritage. Marking 30 years of the Ards International Guitar Festival in 2026, the exhibition reflects on how the festival’s origins were inspired by the work of exceptional local makers – first Lowden Guitars, and later Avalon Guitars. Through a photographic journey, visitors will see the craft of guitar building from the maker’s point of view, from understanding and selecting wood, to moulding the guitar’s body, creating intricate inlays, and applying the meticulous finishing that characterises Avalon’s instruments.
A special Meet the Makers event will take place on Thursday 16 April at 7pm, offering a chance to speak directly with the luthiers about their processes. This event is free and open to all.
For more information on the exhibitions, visit; www.andculture.org.uk