As a lady who likes to paint I have in the last year or so been hoofing it all the way into Belfast…read morecity center to buy my paints, brushes and cleaners - I needn't have bothered as there is a really decent art store right in the middle of Holywood. I have driven past a few times and mistaken this shop for a home decoration or wall paper place it was only after a coffee in the amazing Yard Gallery across the street that I decided to take a closer look. They stock a really great range of canvas sizes, oil and water colours, in fact they have a really great collection of everything you could need. I was after outlining lead for painting on glass and they had run out but the really helpful girl behind the desk offered to order it in for me. Throughout the shop you can also find paintings by local artists which are framed and ready to be sold. This is one of the only shops I have seen that stocks Decopatch - a thin tissue paper like product that can be applied to surfaces to cover or decorate them - the patterns are really cool and there is a huge cow in the shop fully decorated showing you the effect that can be achieved with the paper. I would have browsed for longer but there was a really loud man and really loud kids in the place so I left - I'm a grumpy old hag sometimes!

From the owner: Art & Home is a two storey Art Store, Gallery and bespoke in-house framing service. Established in…read more1978, Art & Home is accredited by the Fine Art Trade Guild and is a founder member of the Brititsh Institute of Frame Makers. Our Art Department, is an Aladdin's Cave, packed with topb branded art materials for professional and hobby artists. We supply Michael Harding, Winsor & Newton, Daler Rowney, Schmincke, Sennelier, Unison, Golden, Liquitex and much much more.

I love browsing through art galleries and the Engine Room is the latest small gallery in Belfast I…read morehave stumbled upon. Run by East Belfast Arts Collective, this Gallery has moved from its original location in a mill Engine Room to a street-level showroom just a little further east on the Newtownards Road. Since the Engine Room opened in the mid 1990s it has been according to the gallery "an engine at the core of the development of contemporary art in Belfast." The range of works on show include everything from oils and acrylics to prints, video, sculpture, arte povere, installation art and new technology. The gallery also aim to showcase lesser known local artists alongside more well known artists with international profiles. There are new exhibitions every month.

This is a great Gallery space in the heart of East Belfast. It hosts local, national and…read moreInternational exhibition. The latest exhibition from 1st April 2010 is a solo show by Deirdre Robb. works on display are paintings, installations and expeimental prints

I really want a snail! Not a real snail, but a swirling, pretty, glittery snail, painted on canvas…read moreby Dawn Crothers. These are sold at Whalley Gallery, which Dawn and her husband Stephen Whalley both own and run. As well as Dawn's work, there's an array of paintings and sculptures by local and international contemporary artists on display. Additionally the gallery offers a framing service, corporate away days/ art classes and an interior design consultation service. A beautiful, bright space showcasing beautiful artwork, which was a pleasure to visit 03/08/07 as part of EastSide Festival, Late Night Art Bus Tour.

I first came to hear of Stephen Whalley some time ago as one of his prints was for sale on a well…read moreknown discounts website, and the print in question was one that I knew my friend would love, so I bought it for her birthday. Despite being in Holywood a fair bit, I had not noticed this gallery until after I bought the print and on seeing it, decided to go in and have a look at the rest of his work. The studio features artwork not just from Stephen whalley, but a wide range of other Northern Irish artists and sculptors. They also offer services such as valuation and insurance for artwork. It was a lovely way to pass a lunchtime, maybe if I save up enough, I can buy an original for myself!

Hilltop Gallery , First class professional and quality service…read more thank you for an excellent portrait. barry

My first visit, 07/09/2017, introduced me to a gallery I've heard much about. It lived up to it's…read morereputation. Brimming with challenging, contemporary art tackling the big issues of our time, Catalyst is not for the faint-hearted. This uber-cool, industrial, warehouse suits the art it showcases (installation, conceptual, screen etc) and the radical art on display perfectly suits the space. Numerous artists were represented, but I was especially drawn to American/ Metis artist Dylan A T Miner's red wall hangings, called "Gesture of Solidarity". Miner deals with indigenous/ colonial themes and his banners dominated the gallery, catching the eye, demanding attention and investigation. Fantastic work. Catalyst is volunteer run/ nonprofit and as well as serving up fascinating experimental art, it runs a range of events, screenings and activities such as the Anarchist Bookfair. Quite possibly one of the most exciting art spaces in Belfast. I'm only sorry it took me so long to get round to visiting...

Always a great show pushing the boundaries of there practice. Check it out on Late Night Art. It's…read morethe first Thursday of the month!

I am in no way an art buff. I'm not an art anything in fact. But I do like to have a look around…read morethese places, even just to seem a little cultured to the store assistant who can obviously seen through my nods of appreciation. From the outside it looks a little more commercial to other galleries in the area. It always has advertisements in its windows, stating silly pointless things that you should already expect to find in a gallery (not signs saying 'pretty paintings!' but close enough). The price range clearly shows that the stuff here really is for someone who wants to make a serious commitment. Paying 4/5 hundred pounds for a painting the size of my palm is the biggest commitment anyone can make in my opinion!

Eakin's my favourite art gallery on the Lisburn Road. A lovely little family run gallery spanning…read moretwo floors of a red brick townhouse. Specialists in contemporary Irish art they also have some pieces from the past as well. You'll find a range of Artists' work here including George Callaghan, Brian Ballard, Neil Shawcross, Dean McDowell, Louis le Brocquy, J B Vallely and Terry Bradley amongst others. I always call in for a look when I pass Eakin. Yesterday I visited to view the beautiful, stylised, atmospheric paintings of George Callaghan. His harvest sunset paintings are mesmerising and I adore his 'Purple Haze' landscapes. A beautiful exhibition for this time of year as we near the end of October. Prices vary, ranging from smaller works for a few hundred pounds to larger paintings for a few thousand. If I win the lotto I may one day be able to buy instead of just browse! The owner Brian Eakin is very welcoming and their website's kept fully updated with all current paintings listed. However nothing beats a stroll through Eakin Gallery to see the paintings in the flesh.

This place is super handy to get a picture framed. Easy enough parking. So your picture won't get…read moreruined transporting it to and from the car. They have a door bell. You have to wait to someone comes to the door to answer. Which can be annoying. Once no one came so I went elsewhere. The girl in the shop is really helpful. I wanted a white frame but she said you pick the most predominant colour from the picture and that's the colour of frame you need. Also educated me on single and double surrounds. I didn't mind paying the price of the framing seeing she was so helpful. I had to get a bespoke frame as it was a panoramic photo I needed framed.