Monday, November 28, 2011

Story Of A Life


STORY OF A LIFE

 

Exhibition 

of Batik paintings

by

Noirin Mooney 

 

 Dec 3 - Jan 7

 

 

 

 

 

with accompanying book Launch

and you are warmly invited to the opening

on Saturday Dec 3rd  at 4pm

The exhibition will be opened by

Denis Crosby     

Nollaig Shona Dhuit

Better known as a painter in oils, Noirin Williams Mooney was drawn to painting in batik when she came to live in the Burren in Co.Clare in the late 1960's. The colour and crackle of the landscape seemed to lend itself to the medium. It enabled her to explore the imaginative and mythological rather than purely landscape aspects of the Burren.
For the past thirty years she has been exhibiting extensively in her first love, oils. Prior to the death of her youngest son, Brecan, in November, 2009, she had already been drawn back to painting in batik and had begun to work on a Life of Jesus. Brecan’s death gave the work a new impetus. The fourteen pieces in ‘STORY OF A LIFE’ cover some of the main events, parables and miracles in Christ's life. Noirin has created this series of batiks during a time of deep reflection. They have taken some two years to complete.

”Illustrated depictions of birth life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are often overly somber. I think the ‘good news’ should lend itself to a more joyous expression using the medium of Batik painting.  In ‘STORY OF A LIFE’ I use the medium of Batik painting which lends itself to a richness of colour and hopefully the accompanying quotations in the book will give a meditative quality to the exhibition as a whole.”

Trasna II


Trasna II  

 an exhibition of postcard-sized works by national and international artists.

December 2nd  - January 7th 2012
Trasna II opens Fri 2nd at  7pm
To encourage you to share in this event there will be a wine reception and a humorous auction on the opening night Friday 2nd at 7pm. Members of the public are invited to come early and place bids on their favourite pieces before the auction begins at 8pm.

The pieces will be auctioned by Chris Wallis and Sarah Fuller
There is a reserve price of €40 on each work.
This is a silent auction, meaning artists are anonymous until after works are purchased.

 This is a wonderful opportunity to purchase original artworks as gifts for loved ones in the upcoming festive season.

Trasna II  will run in conjunction with our Christmas show –
 Story Of A Life
 Batic paintings by Noirin Mooney

Friday, November 11, 2011

3 Instrument Makers


3 Instrument Makers

19th – 26th Nov.
open 11am – 4pm daily (inc Sun)

Featuring the crafted instruments of

Harp Paul Dooley
Flute Martin Doyle
Uilleann Pipes Davy Spillane


Official opening
by Patrick McCormack
on Saturday 19th November at 4pm

November 19th - 26th 2011
open 11am-4pm daily (incl Sun)


In conjunction with the year of the craft the 3 Instrument Makers exhibition will offer the visitor a multi media experience featuring the musical instruments crafted by Paul Dooley, Martin Doyle and Davy Spillane as well as selected recordings of their music.

All three are internationally acclaimed artists who live within a ten mile radius of Ennistymon and were invited to partake in this exhibition which aims to honour and acknowledge their work.

Included in this exhibition will be audio interviews and a 15 minute commissioned film by ‘Packmule Films’ - Dylan Phillips and Marcus Campbell, documenting each of the musicians at work in their workshops

Photographer Christy McNamara, well known for his photographs of traditional musicians will be collaborating in this exhibition with a series of commissioned photographs.


Paul Dooley is one of the leading exponents of the Irish harp in its historical form and style, having studied the construction of medieval Irish harps in Dublin during the early 1980s. He started his performing career on the metal-strung harp in 1986 and has appeared on numerous CD recordings and television soundtracks his latest recording is called The Harpers Fancy.

In 2005 Martin Doyle moved from Bray to Co. Clare, where from his workshop he makes flutes for musicians worldwide. His love of flute making carries an aspiration for the progression of the craft,
“I like to strive to transcend my capacities and therefore my results. It’s important to me that the contemporary flutes keep evolving and giving us new horizons — that is the real joy of this work! My feeling is that we should never stop striving for the better good in any field of endeavour.”

In the mid '70's Davy Spillane started his uilleann pipe making apprenticeship with Johnny Burke in Bray Co. Wicklow and by 1988 Davy had made his own set of uilleann pipes with Johnny. These pipes are made of sterling silver, African blackwood, ebony and ivory. 1988 being the Millennium Year in Dublin, all the silver parts were individually hallmarked in Dublin Castle and received the Millennium hallmark unique to that year. This is the instrument that Davy has played on all his recordings and performances from when they were made to the present time. This is the instrument that is on display. 


In conjunction with North Clare Historical Society there will be a lecture in the gallery on Monday 21st at 8pm by Eugene Lambe, collector of tunes and stories from County Clare. 

 


     

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Submission Deadline


REMINDER
Deadline for Trasna II submission is 25th November!

A5 postcard submissions from artists should be a maximum postcard size
20 x 15 cm in any medium. Please send us an email to request an application form to trasnasubmission@gmail.com and both should be mailed or hand delivered to:
Attn : Trasna II submission,
The Courthouse Gallery,
Parliament street,
Ennistymon,
Co. Clare.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Trasna II


What is Trasna II?

Trasna II is the second year of an exhibition of postcard sized art works that runs in conjunction with the Christmas exhibition at the Courthouse Gallery. The artists involved are both national and international and all of the works are no bigger than the size of a postcard. All of the works involved will be included in our silent auction where the starting bid will be no less than €40 (a standard 25% gallery commision applies).
Trasna II is an open theme and gives emerging artists a great opportunity to show their work in an exhibition alongside some established artists. Submission is free! And you also have a chance to sell your work.

How do I submit?

A5 postcard submissions from artists should be a maximum postcard size
20 x 15 cm in any medium. Deadline for submission is 25th November!
Please send us an email to request an application form to trasnasubmission@gmail.com and both should be mailed or hand delivered to:
Attn : Trasna II submission,
The Courthouse Gallery,
Parliament street,
Ennistymon,
Co. Clare.




What now?

You can find us on facebook and LIKE The Courthouse Gallery
and follow the latest developments and see how the exhibition is coming along!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Bábushkas & Bábochkas


Tessa O’Connor - 'Bábushkas & Bábochkas'
A selection of prints & stained glass

 OCT 21  to  NOV 16

 Tessa O'Connor studied Fine Art Printmaking in LSAD and graduated in 2009. She has been living and working in Russia and Belarus for the past year. This work draws on the style of Russian iconography  and folk art from the 17th and 18th centuries that she was able to experience first hand in the archives and museums of St Petersburg and the villages of Belarus.  The body of work is in lino prints and stained glass.

"My work is a testament to the people that I have met in the orphanages and adult institutions in Belarus and the caring friendships between them. These people are often pushed to the shadows of the country. In the works 'Bábushkas & Bábochkas' I am attempting to depict them in the place of respect that I feel they deserve. They have a warmth and strength that amazes me."