VISITORS to Belfast this week will be met by huge bill boards publicising the forthcoming exhibition by Ardara artist Stephen Bennett which opens at the Ferrara Gallery on the Lisburn Road today (Friday).

One early morning last November Stephen was contacted by Salvo Liberante of the Ferrara Gallery, then unknown to him. He had seen Stephen's work on his website the night before and was very keen to have some of it represented at the opening of his new gallery that very evening.

The Belfast entrepreneur has launched some of the best-known restaurants in the Belfast area. A keen lover and collector of art, his new gallery venture came about quite simply because he had the space, he enjoys art and now that all his restaurants have been leased out he was looking for a new venture. He said: "It has been both interesting and exciting to bring my collection of art together for the first time, but I am also very keen to seek out up-and-coming artists, providing them with a stage to showcase and sell their work".

Stephen, always the professional, pulled out all the stops to get eight paintings to Belfast in time for the opening. Such was the reaction to the work that the Ferrara Gallery immediately contacted Stephen again to ask him to have a solo exhibition at the gallery.

Stephen was delighted because although he has had numerous Belfast clients in his own gallery he has never before been offered an exhibition in a Belfast gallery and he considers this a turning point in his career.

"Many Belfast clients have been encouraging me to exhibit there but I have never before found the right gallery. I have been working night and day to produce the work for this exhibition and the feedback in recent weeks from the gallery has been tremendous. I'm really looking forward to the opening and everyone is welcome," he said.

Stephen, a former illustrator with Saatchi & Saatchi, works from his studio gallery in Ardara. Stimulated daily by the people and the ever-evolving landscape that surrounds him, Stephen's work has the vibrant palette and increasing spontaneity of an artist who clearly loves his craft and the inspirational setting in which he lives.

'Forever Moving' is a new collection of expressive work put together especially for this event.