SOFIAH OUTSIDE IN THE GARDEN - ORIGINAL PAINTING BY AVA REID - 30 x 42 CM
 
Part of the 'HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?' 2026 EXHIBITION; ARC Centre Gallery, Stockport
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There is so much love in this painting it radiates from the canvas.
 
This original acrylic on canvas piece by Macclesfield artist Ava Reid is a portrait of Sofiah, a cherished family friend and someone Ava holds in the highest regard.
 
In this painting Sofiah’s face glows at the very centre of the composition, framed by a sweeping arc of bold black circles that draws the eye inward. Around her, the canvas blooms with Ava’s signature shapes in warm peach, terracotta, red and rose; a garden in full flower. Flashes of neon green and powder blue spark through the layers like sunlight through leaves.
 
Sofiah in real life is vivid, warm, and funny; someone who loves colour and fills a room with energy. Ava has captured all of that in celebration of her relationship with Sofiah.
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About the Collection
 
How Do You Know My Name is a solo exhibition of original paintings by Ava Reid, showing at ARC Centre Gallery, Stockport throughout the summer of 2026.
 
The collection brings together Ava’s deeply personal portraits of people she loves, admires, and finds fascinating, and the places she relates to that both inspire her and make her feel safe.
 
The paintings display Ava's unmistakable style of bold mark-making, layered colour, and joyful, expressive energy.
 
Each painting is named for it's subject or place, making this a collection that is as intimate as it is captivating.
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About the Artist
 
Ava Reid is a Macclesfield based artist whose work is characterised by its confident colours, distinctive shapes, and joyful energy. As an artist with Down's syndrome and Autism Ava brings a perspective that is genuinely unique. Ava's work is never constrained by her own expectation of the finished product but are born of the purest creative instinct.
 
Ava's work has been celebrated for releasing genuine emotion amongst first time admirers as well as more seasoned fans. Her work is an outstanding example of art made by an artist with a learning disability that commands serious attention with it's vibrance and confidence.
 
Collecting an Ava Reid original means owning something that cannot be replicated, a piece of authentic art from one of Macclesfield's most exciting emerging talents.
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Original acrylic on canvas. 30 x 42cm. One of thirteen paintings in the 'HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?' 2026 exhibition shown at the ARC Centre in Stockport, 2026. Sold unframed. Certificate of authenticity included.