Artist Brunella Sherry to showcase paintings and poetry in Derry’s Richmond Centre
An Omagh woman whose creative journey has taken her to London and back is preparing to share her artwork with a wider public.
Painter and poet Brunella Sherry is launching a new website and staging a two-day exhibition of her paintings in Derry at the end of October.
Known affectionately as Bee, Brunella grew up in Omagh in a household where creativity and music were familiar parts of everyday life.
Her father was the late country singer Brian Coll, a well-known figure in Irish music, but Brunella's own creative expression took a different direction.
From an early age, she was drawn to drawing and painting, developing an interest that continued through her education and later life. After studying in Belfast, Brunella spent several years in London, working in the creative and fashion industries before eventually returning home.
Today, her paintings reflect a highly personal approach to art.
Nature, flowers, landscapes, changing light and human emotion feature throughout her work, often expressed through bold colours and spontaneous brushwork.
Poetry is another important part of her creative life, with words and images frequently exploring similar themes. Rather than following a conventional artistic formula, Brunella works intuitively, sometimes allowing an existing painting to evolve into something entirely different.
Her forthcoming exhibition at the Richmond Centre in Derry will introduce visitors to a selection of original paintings, art prints and poetry.It also marks the launch of a new website dedicated to her work.
Brian Coll junior who is helping Brunella develop the commercial side of her art, believes her work deserves the opportunity to reach people beyond her immediate circle.
"Bee has been creating for years, but much of her work has remained within a relatively small circle of family and friends. There's something special about seeing people encounter her paintings for the first time.
"They often notice things or find meanings that neither of us would have anticipated. The website and exhibition are simply about opening that door and allowing more people to discover what she creates."
The Derry exhibition is intended as an early step in a longer-term effort to introduce Brunella's paintings and poetry to new audiences.
The exhibition takes place on Friday and Saturday, October 30-31, 2026 at the ‘Little Derry’ Pop up unit, the Richmond Centre.
Brunella's work can be viewed at www.brunellasherrypainterandpoet.com.