A talented young artist from North Wales has celebrated a major milestone in her creative journey after holding her first-ever gallery exhibition in Bangor.

Level 3 Art and Design student Elain Haf Walker, who studies at Coleg Menai, recently showcased her work at @109 Gallery and Creative Space on Bangor High Street after being spotted on social media by the venue’s team.

The 17-year-old was invited to take part in the gallery’s Future Stars launch event in May, giving her the opportunity to display her artwork to the public, network with professionals from the creative sector and gain valuable experience preparing for an exhibition.

“I had to learn how to mount paintings and source high-quality prints of my work,” said Elain.

The exhibition proved to be a success, with Elain selling three prints and two original paintings during the event.

“Seeing the red sticker at the end of the night gave me a rush of excitement knowing that someone appreciates my work enough to buy it,” she said.

The experience has inspired Elain to continue developing her artistic career and reinforced her ambition to work in the creative industries.

“It reassured me that this is what I want to do in the future,” she explained. “I felt accomplished, as I had reached a milestone in my artistic journey.”

Among the pieces displayed was Taith Galar (Journey of Grief), a deeply personal work inspired by Pink Floyd’s classic track The Great Gig in the Sky. The painting explores themes of grief, trauma and healing, reflecting Elain’s own experiences.

“This piece reflects my personal journey through trauma, exploring how chaos can evolve into calm and self-acceptance,” she said. “The process itself was therapeutic, mirroring how healing unfolds over time.”

Art therapy is now firmly in Elain’s sights as a future career. After researching different pathways during her studies, she hopes to use creativity to help others express emotions that can often be difficult to put into words.

“I want to help people express emotions through art that can be hard to communicate verbally,” she said.

Elain credits much of her development and growing confidence to the support she has received from tutors at Coleg Menai.

“Their feedback has helped me develop my techniques and experiment with ideas. They’ve also supported me to start believing in my own abilities and to push myself creatively,” she said.

Reflecting on her educational journey, Elain admitted that secondary school was often challenging.

“I struggled a lot in secondary school. The only subject I really enjoyed was art, but I always saw it as a hobby. I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future.”

Studying Art and Design at Coleg Menai changed that outlook and helped put her on a path towards higher education. This autumn she will begin studying art at Cardiff University after securing an unconditional offer.

For anyone considering studying art, Elain’s advice is simple.

“Don’t worry too much about making everything perfect. Stay open-minded, don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles and techniques, and make the most of the support and feedback from tutors because it really helps you improve and build confidence in your work.”

With a successful first exhibition behind her and university on the horizon, Elain’s artistic future is looking bright. Her story also highlights the role colleges such as Coleg Menai play in nurturing creative talent across North Wales, helping young artists turn their passion into a career.