Cyclops - New work by Ben Reilly

An exhibition of Sculptures and Prints  

Cyclops

New work by Ben Reilly
 

JAN 14 – FEB 9, 2012, OPENING Saturday 14^TH January at 2pm

Cyclopes:
One eyed monstrous creatures in Greek mythology that stumbled around eating humans and generally causing a lot of disturbance.  “Recently I found myself in a similar situation in terms of the stumbling around and with only one eye bit after being diagnosed with Glaucoma. Some of the work in this exhibition especially the more recent pieces are influenced by this latest development”. Ben Reilly

Terrascope, an exhibition of paintings, drawings and ceramics by Jackie Maurer and Fiona Woods

Terrascope, an exhibition of paintings, drawings and ceramics

New work by Jackie Maurer and Fiona Woods

 in The Red Couch Space at the Courthouse Gallery

JAN 14 – FEB 9, 2012, OPENING Saturday 14^TH January at 2pm

The title of the exhibition is made up of two words, terra and scope, chosen to mark out the common ground that exists between the work of these very different artists. Terra refers to the physical substance of earth, but also to the planet as a political and geographical entity. Scope is associated with a particular kind of looking that weighs up and assesses, but it also suggests a broad, sweeping gaze. 

Terrascope:   
Jackie Maurer works with porcelain, an earthly substance which she transforms into fine and delicate forms. A skilled ceramicist, she has developed a way of incorporating colour and pattern into the clay itself, so that it does not sit on the surface but is integral to the form. She pushes the forms that she makes to the very limit, playing with curves and edges in a way that invites close scrutiny.

Fiona Woods is showing her first body of paintings and drawings for over ten years. Drawing on references both historical and contemporary, Woods has constructed a set of small and playful works, multi-layered images that respond to the world as a socio-geographical unfolding (or enfolding), in which a colonial and post-colonial history is still playing out.  

Christmas celebration at the Courthouse Gallery

We would like to thank everybody who supported us here in the Courthouse Gallery during the year and we would like to wish you all a  Happy and Peaceful Christmas & a C r e a t i v e New Year 2012.

Kathryn, Daire, Crissie, Trudi

Story Of A Life, Noirin Mooney

 

    Story Of A Life

     Batik paintings

  

 

 

 

       Noirin  Mooney

                                     

         Dec 3^rd – Jan 7^th

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 3^rd  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 2^nd  - January 7^th 2012

Trasna II opens Fri 2^nd 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 2^nd 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

3 Instrument Makers

3 Instrument Makers

19^th – 26^th 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 19^th November at 4pm

November 19^th - 26^th 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 21^st at 8pm by Eugene Lambe, collector of tunes and stories from County Clare. 

 

     

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.

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!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ennistymon-Courthouse-Gallery/141902905688

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."