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Children's Art Competition

2010-04-03T04:52:00.000-07:00

4 winners with the Art

Samhlaiocht has been synonymous with art and with promoting art to young people since its inception in 1992 and its current exhibition ties into both of these. Its latest exhibition features a selection of art created by children from all over the county.

"We were absolutely inundated with entries," said Jason O' Mahony, Director of Samhlaiocht. "We had entries from all over Kerry from Fenit to Kilcummin, Killarney to Castleisland. Students from 15 different schools submitted entries as well as numerous individuals. We had well over 150 entries all told!"

"One of the hardest tasks was deciding who the eventual winner should be," added Carmel Quinn, who coordinated the competition. "We spent a few days with all the art, all over the walls and all over every single desk top space in the office. We had everyone in the office driven mad!"

"Originally we were planning on having just one winner but there were so many fantastic entries that we couldn't do that!" added Carmel with a laugh. "Eventually we picked four overall winners. We framed all the winning entries and they take pride of place in the exhibition!"

"The children were asked to bear the theme of 'Legends' in mind when submitting work and we have pictures covering the whole wide range of Irish legends on the walls for the exhibition," said Jason. "The Children of Lir and The Salmon of Knowledge seemed to be particular favourites and the quality of the winning pictures was absolutely stunning!"

The four overall winners were Katrelyn Griffin, aged 11, from Blennerville National School who was inspired by the old Irish Legend, Deirde of the Sorrrows. Lena Harkin, aged 12, and also from Blennerville National School created a wonderful piece titled, A Fishy Fiction. Megan Fort from St. John's National School in Ashe Street in Tralee created a piece inspired by The Salmon of Knowledge. Emma Curran, aged 8, from Kilmoyley National School, created a piece inspired by The Children of Lir.

A selection of the entries, including the four overall winners, is on display in the Samhlaiocht Gallery. The exhibition opened on Thursday, April 1st, and will be on display through out Easter. The Gallery is located in The Old Presbytery on Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm. Monday to Friday and is also open Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It's free to visit and everyone is welcome.

The official prize giving took place at the exhibition opening in the Samhlaiocht Gallery in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee, with prizes kindly sponsored by O' Mahony's Bookshop, Tralee, Polymath, Tralee and Smyth's Toyshop.

Time to Return: Gail Kelly

2010-02-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

There's a new exhibition opening in the Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday, March 4th when Gail Kelly comes to Kerry. The exhibition, Time to Return, opens on Thursday, March 5th and runs through to Friday, March 26th.

"Samhlaiocht is thrilled that Gail Kelly is exhibiting in the Gallery," said Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator. "Her work really speaks to the beauty of Kerry and it's wonderful to see the county be a source of inspiration to artists from further afield, in addition to being a constant source of inspiration to those of us lucky enough to live here."

"My work is inspired by the Irish Landscape, especially the southwest of Ireland which I visit every year," says Gail. "I have produced two series of lithographs inspired by my travels in County Kerry and west Cork. I love this part of the country with its fabulous scenery and numerous ancient sites."

Gail works in lithography, which is produced by etching an image onto a flat surface, then copying the etched surface by applying ink, or the equivalent, to it and pressing another material against it. Gail has a number of black and white images, which are all stone lithography, and a number of coloured pieces, which are photo plate lithographs, in the exhibition, so it promises a nice combination of the two different techniques.

"I'm particularly fond of the old farmhouses and cottages that seem to fit into the landscape so well," adds Gail. "The colours of the Kerry countryside and the patterns of the farm land are a constant source of inspiration to me."

All the work in the exhibition feature limited edition lithographs and Gail's love of traditions, folklore and legends play a key part in the creation of each piece. "I like the idea of remembering and respecting the old ways of doing things, whether daily activities or annual events," explains Gail. "I love the interplay of narrow roads, mountain farms, distant islands and standing stones that all feature so heavily in the beautiful landscape of Kerry."

Gail's original prints have been exhibited widely both at home and abroad and are included in many public and private collections.

The exhibition runs until Friday, March 26th, in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

Uncommon Threads - New Exhibition at Samhlaiocht

2010-01-28T07:42:00.000-08:00

There's a new exhibition opening in Kerry's favourite little gallery on Friday, February 5th when Filament, a group of textile artists, come to Samhlaiocht. The exhibition, Uncommon Threads, opens on Friday, February 5th and runs for three weeks, featuring work in both 2D and 3D.

"Samhlaiocht is thrilled that Filament is exhibiting in the Gallery," said Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator. "Filament is a group of artists and it's great to be working with such a dynamic bunch. The exhibition will feature work by eight artists who are all members of the group and will offer an exciting mix and variety of modern and traditional textile techniques which will delight all who see it."

Textiles can be, by their very nature, fragile and Caroline Scholfield, one of the artists whose work appears, uses textiles to examine both the fragility of the human body and mind and our society, which encourages people to obsess about possessions rather than simply being comfortable with themselves.

Jean McKenna also loves working with fabric and thread, exploring the possibilities they offer in creating texture and colour, she dyes fabric and threads to create a rich palette from which to work, while pushing her skills in an experimental way to best express the love she has of textured surfaces. Her recent work is inspired by her garden in winter.

In fact, quite a number of the artists are inspired by nature. Hilary Bell, for example, draws on the landscape for inspiration. She is particularly moved by coastal rock and stone formations and feels the ancient past is hidden in the rocky landscape. She uses a variety of fibres and felting techniques to explore various surfaces and textures.

Shelia Jordan is similarly inspired and is interested in the delicate balance in nature, especially in the colours and patterns found in the everyday landscape. Working primarily in felt, she uses different varieties of wool, silk, bamboo, soya bean and cotton fabrics and sometimes even adds objects she has found. "Felting offers me an opportunity to slow down and work in a very tactile way," she says. "My current work is inspired by the coast where the colours of the sea and the quality of the light are magical with turquoise waters, beautiful stormy grey skies and foaming white water that washes up all sorts of treasures."

While nature is the inspiration for some of the artists, others are inspired by personal experience. Sarah Dawson's work is informed by a growing awareness of the huge influence which childhood experiences have. Her work is influenced by the transforming experiences of yoga, non-violent communication and mindfulness. Combining photography, textiles, natural materials, threads, wire and clays along with the written word, her work reflects these themes and her interest in texture and form.

Tara Ni Nuallain's mixed media textiles work is also a visual expression of personal experience. She is particularly interested in the marks we make on our environment, both those made deliberately and unconsciously, with her work using mixed media textiles. She also focuses on drawing, paper and fabric collage, overlaid with hand and machine stitch.

Other artists take a more traditional approach. Mary Heffernan, a recently retired school teacher, only discovered embroidery a few years ago, which opened the door into the delightful world of textile art. Colour, texture and stitch are her passions and she feels that simply messing around with fabric and yarn can often be the starting point of an idea. Words are another source of inspirations and she combines traditional hand stitch with more contemporary design and machine embroidery.

This love of traditional machine and hand embroidery techniques is shared by Lucinda Jacob, who invariably returns to textile pieces where the stitching and manipulation has been suggested by the material itself, such as old leather evening gloves, or, on the other hand, by simple graphic motifs. She combines the simplest hand and machine stitching with a layering of fabrics and simple figurative images such as birds and animals.

So whether drawing inspiration from the tactile nature of the fabrics, from nature, from personal experience or from more traditional work all the artists have one abiding theme - their love of textile and this love shines through in their work. The exhibition will be opened on Friday, February 5th, by Una Ni She, a textile artist from Dingle and will be a treat for all lovers of art and textiles.

The exhibition runs until February 26th, in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

First Exhibition of 2010

2009-12-19T07:26:00.001-08:00

An exhibition of artwork from three local artists will go on display in the Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday, 7th January, 2010 in the first exhibition of the New Year. The exhibition will feature work by Muiriosa Murphy, Ronan Smith and Silke Michels. All three artists are either Kerry-based or from Kerry originally. Their work was selected from the more than 50 artists who submitted work to Samhlaiocht, hoping for a spot in the Gallery's 2010 programme.

Muiriosa, who hails from Rathmore originally, but has lived in Kerry for years, is a born painter, sculptor and printmaker and finds inspiration in life but also in the tactile interaction with the materials she uses.

"Art is not just a job," says Muiriosa, "it is a life and a lifestyle. My life is about tuning in to my creative cycle, so I can be as prolific as possible. I also believe in following where my art takes me. Simply by doing and being open to the process; new methods, styles and ideas present themselves to me. When I am inspired, creating art is the most fulfilling and exciting experience. My mission is to explore, develop and push myself into new ways to express myself through art."

Ronan, who has a studio based practice in Gort, Co. Galway, but hails from Tralee agrees completely. and, over the last year, has developed an entirely new body of work. "It's my goal to make paintings that transcend their surface and in doing so become living things," he says. "I find that the most effective way for me to do this is by working with my own energy, the act of painting is my subject. I work with a sense of urgency, moving from canvas to canvas in quick succession. I focus on making the painting active and simple. I work towards creating shapes and colours that represent the reality within me."

Silke Michels is the third artist whose work features in the exhibition and it consists of digital photographic images of found objects, which she has documented over a period of two years. "I am intrigued by rustiness and decay of objects that have been placed in an 'unnatural' environment," says Silke. "Where do or where did these objects belong to in the first place? It's like discovering a different kind of beauty within an old rusty piece of material carelessly thrown away. What fascinates me about these objects is the way they have adapted to their new environment and become part of it. Nature's way of integration shows in color or shape, like seaweed growing out of an old shoe, or material that curves itself in the same way as the sand dunes it is draped in."

All three artists have strong Kerry connections. Muiriosa lives in Kerry and is also the curator and coordinator of the popular Reuben's Art Space on Ashe Street in Tralee. The Art Space organises monthly solo shows for artists. She graduated with a degree in Journalism in 2004 from Dublin City University and completed a postgraduate course in Fine Art in 2007 and has participated in a number of shows in Germany, Dublin, Cork and Kerry.

Ronan Smith, on the other hand, was born in Tralee and received a degree with distinction in Fine Art from Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art in 2004, continuing his art education with a post graduate MA in Visual Arts Practice from Dun Laoghaire in 2006. He has been involved in many group and solo exhibitions throughout his academic career.

Silke Michels is German but lives and works in Dingle. Her background is in Fine Art, Design, Textiles and Photography.

The three artists all have different backgrounds but all are, in one way or another, inspired by the beauty of Kerry.

Salon De Chiarrai 2009

2009-11-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

An exhibition, styled after the famous 18th Century French exhibitions, Salon de Paris, and called the Salon de Chiarrai, is set to open in Tralee on Thursday, November 26th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery.

Local and national artists were invited to submit work for Salon de Chiarrai 2009, and the work came flooding in from all parts of the Kingdom. More than ninety pieces were submitted and will hang all over the walls in Samhlaiocht's intimate gallery which is located in The Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee.

"We were blown away with the number of entries for our Salon De Chiarrai show," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "We have received original paintings, drawings and etchings, large and small pieces and photography in a whole variety of styles."

The only conditions for submissions was that all work had to be ready for hanging, all work had to be for sale, and no work could have previously been exhibited at The Samhlaiocht Gallery.

"Kerry has always been known for its writers but looking at some of these pieces it's easy to imagine that in the future it'll be every bit as famous for its Artists," added O' Mahony.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery is at the forefront of bringing new and exciting artists to the public in Kerry and this show allows such artists an opportunity to have their work seen. The Salon show will, however, also feature work from many of the better known Kerry based artists as well as featuring some work from Artists making a name for them on a national scale.

The Salon de Chiarrai has a wonderfully eclectic feeling to it, featuring everything from stunning landscapes to sketches of colorful Kerry characters. The exhibition is definitely worth a trip for art lovers while affording a perfect opportunity to pick up a unique Christmas gift that will be treasured long after the holiday season passes.

The exhibition opens on November 26th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee and runs right through the Christmas period until 12 noon on December 23rd.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday; the gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship from Kerry Group.

Call for Entries for Salon De Chiarrai

2009-10-12T03:55:00.000-07:00

In the style of 18th Century French exhibitions, Samhlaiocht will unveil the Third annual Salon de Chiarraí exhibition late this November. No wall space will be left uncovered!

Artists from all over Kerry are invited to submit work for the second annual Salon de Chiarrai, which will take place from 26th November to 12 noon on the 23rd December 2009 at The Samhlaíocht Gallery in The Old Presbytery, Lower Castle Street Tralee.

"We were blown away with the number of entries for last year's Salon De Chiarrai show," said Jason O' Mahony, Director of Samhlaiocht. "We received original paintings, drawings, etchings and photography, large and small pieces in a whole variety of styles."

All original paintings, drawings etchings and photography, in any medium are welcome and there is no limitation on the scale of the work, however, submissions are limited to one or two per Artist. The only conditions for submission are that all work must be framed and ready for hanging, all work must be for sale, and work must not have previously been exhibited at The Samhlaíocht Gallery.

Last year over 80 pieces of art were selected from the submitted works and hung all over the walls in Samhlaiocht's intimate gallery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee.

"Kerry has always been known for its writers but last year the amount of work that was submitted suggests that in the future it'll be every bit as famous for its Artists!" added O' Mahony.

Work must be delivered to The Samhlaiocht Gallery during the week of the 9th of November.

The Salon De Chiarrai Exhibition opens on 26th November and runs right through the Christmas period until 12 noon December 23rd.

Last year's Salon had a wonderfully eclectic feeling to it, featuring everything from stunning landscapes to sketches of colourful Kerry characters such as John B. Keane and sales were brisk as the public picked up unique Christmas gifts that were treasured long after the holiday season passed.

All work must be clearly labelled with name and address and contact details.

For more information on the Samhlaiocht Salon de Chiarraí please contact Trish Thompson on 066 712 9934 or through email on trish@samhlaiocht.com

Photography Competition in Samhlaiocht

2009-10-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

Hanging Out by Michael Gannon

Samhlaiocht, the leading arts organisation in Kerry, was pretty as a picture this week as it opened its doors to a new exhibition featuring the work of over 30 photographers. The exhibition is the result of an open submission photography process that Samhlaiocht has undertaken for the past number of months. More than 250 photographs were submitted for the exhibition by photographers from all over Ireland and as far away as Alaska.

"The photography competition was a huge success," said Mike Foley, Samhlaiocht competition Co-ordinator. "The quality and variety of photographs was simply astonishing. We were absolutely delighted with the work submitted and pleasantly surprised that work came in from all over Ireland and abroad. This year we had two themes – Summer Light and Winter Light and photographers really took the themes to heart."

Given the amount of work submitted, selecting the pieces for the exhibition was no easy task and Samhlaiocht enlisted some of the leading photographers in Kerry to help with the process.

"This year we were blessed with the selecting panel and are thankful to all the selectors. They did an amazing job," added Mike

Selectors were Kerry Kennelly of Kerry's Eye, Dan Muphy, who is a fine art and portrait photographer with Red Couch Studios, Michael Diggin of Irish Landscape Photography and Michael O' Meara of Custom Framing Services.

Four photographs in particular were selected for their outstanding quality. The photographs were taken by Christina Tydings, Michael Gannon, Martin Mulcahy and Simon Quinn. Photographers submitting work were asked to keep the themes in mind but a liberal interpretation of the theme and digital manipulation of the images was encouraged.

When quizzed about the selection panel, Mike said, "Well we thought it was important to get an expert on all different styles of photography. Kerry is an obvious candidate to judge photo journalism, while Michael Diggin is a wonderful Landscape photographer, Dan Murphy, on the other hand, has an eye for fine art photography and Michael O' Meara is an all-rounder that prints his own landscapes and the work of other artists."

All selected photographs were professionally mounted and framed and are currently on view in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, in the heart of Tralee. The Framing Prize was kindly sponsored by O' Meara Fast Framing Service in Tralee Shopping Center. The exhibition opened on Thursday evening, October 1st and runs until until October 23rd, 2009.

Mayo Artists come to Kerry

2009-08-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

Samhlaiocht, the leading Arts Organization in Kerry, continues its long tradition of bringing the very best and brightest national artists to the Kingdom with a wonderful new exhibition which opens on Thursday, September 3rd at 7:00 pm. The exhibition will feature work from Ian Wieczorek and Niall McCormack.

"There is a strong connection between Niall and Ian's work," says Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator, Samhlaiocht. "The diversity and vibrancy of their work quite literally leaps from the walls and we’re looking forward to what will be a very special exhibition."

The Samhlaíocht Gallery attracts the best and brightest up and coming artists from Kerry and beyond but also attracts more established artists looking for an additional outlet for their work and Ian and Niall fall very heavily into the second category. Both are accomplished artists and quite successful in their own right.

"My painting practice makes use of the visual language of architecture as a mediator for artistic vision, both as a universal truth and a metaphor for spirituality and personal mediation," said Niall McCormack, who is living and working as an artist in Westport, County Mayo. "I'm also interested in considerations of form and composition, colour harmonies and nuances of light and shade. They've become a vocabulary through which I can develop ideas and realise my intentions."

Niall's buildings and architectural environments depict and address ideals of ambience and spiritual presence. Exteriors and interiors are cleverly used and there is a wonderful interplay between them. Niall uses windows as focus points and to visually enhance the psychological content of the works.

"I am particularly interested in how people are influenced and affected by these architectural forms in both urban and rural environments," says Niall. "I was deeply affected by the monastic environment in which I found myself placed. It made a rich mystical impact on my life and, intermingled with the feelings of silence and austerity, was, at that time, integral to my identity and my particular way of seeing things."

Ian Wieczorek works to represent and investigate the physicality of the human condition. "My inquiry explores issues concerning the base fabric and material essence of what we are, offering insights into the human condition and how we relate to the world as individuals, society and species," says Ian. "On a theoretical level, the work is informed by George Bataille’s concept of Base Materialism, that Hegelian transcendence as a vertical axis denies the influence of a horizontal axis represented by our very physicality and Julia Kristeva’s theory of abjection, which acknowledges the acceptance of the physical condition as a vehicle of mediation."

Ian was born in England but has lived and worked in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, since 1992. His art practice is based primarily in painting and drawing, thematically exploring the physicality of the human condition, the confluence between biological and inorganic dynamic systems, and notions of context and essence.

The public will have an extra opportunity to interact with the artists as a special night-time showing of Niall and Ian’s work will take place at the Samhlaíocht Gallery on Friday, September 25th, when the Samhlaiocht Gallery will be open until 11pm as part of Culture Night Tralee.

The exhibition opens on Thursday, September 3rd, in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee and runs right through until Friday, September 25th, Culture Night.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday, with a special late night opening for culture night on the 25th September till 11pm at night.

The gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Fáilte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship from Kerry Group.

Celebrate Heritage Week with new Exhibition

2009-08-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Next week sees the launch of Ireland's Heritage Week, which runs from the 22nd to the 30th of August, and to celebrate Samhlaiocht, the leading Arts Organisation in Kerry, is holding a special week-long exhibition featuring work from Christa Vonhof and Donal Stack.

Heritage week is designed to appeal to almost everyone and the main aim is to build awareness of Ireland's built, natural and cultural heritage thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation. In Ireland Heritage Week is co-ordinated by the Heritage Council with support from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Fáilte Ireland.

"Every year hundreds of national and local community organisations take part in Heritage week, organising events throughout the country to help build awareness of Ireland's beautiful and unique cultural heritage," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht Gallery Coordinator. "We're delighted to play a small part and would encourage people to come and see this wonderful exhibition which features work from Christa Vonhof and Donal Stack. The exhibition pays respect to Ireland’s amazing cultural heritage through Christa Vonhof's wonderfully eclectic letter boxes and Donal Stack's pictorial maps."

Donal Stack is an artist that lives and works in North Kerry. After graduating from the Crawford Municipal College of Art, Donal went on to teach art at secondary level and at adult night classes for a period of five years.

"I've always had an interest in illustration and decided to pursue if for this exhibition," said Donal. "The work is a series of limited edition giclee prints of illustrated pictorial maps."

The maps are simply stunning and the level of work involved in creating them is mind-boggling. As Donal explains, "These maps are influenced by 16th and 17th Century pictorial maps showing the topography of the landscape and include text, icons and depictions of towns and other landmarks."

All the maps are pictorial maps of Kerry and the Giclee process which Donal used ensures a high quality reproduction on fine art acid-free paper. The original work was done in watercolour and each print is signed and numbered by the artist.

While Donal's maps are inspired by Kerry, Christa Vonhof, who grew up in Bavaria, has been similarily inspired by the county. She always loved painting and drawing.

"Art classes were always my favourite in school," says Christa, "and I continued to paint through my early adulthood." After raising her family and moving to Ireland, Christa became a member of an art group in which she is still active and exhibits regularly.

In addition to painting, Christa is interested in local history and archaeology and quite often combines these two interests.

"One day I was walking in the countryside and I saw this quaint box hanging off a telegraph pole. It was in the middle of nowhere and it sparked an interest," explains Christa. "Every now and then I would come across another post box and the most amazing array of different letter boxes appeared with different shapes, sizes and patterns and I decided to capture and record them."

"The work on the exhibit is by no means a complete collection," laughs Christa, "I fully expect to find many more to record. My hope is to continue finding and recording them in my drawings for years to come!"

The exhibition in Samhlaiocht is a perfect opportunity to see something a little different.

The exhibition opens on Thursday, August 20th and runs for one week until Friday, August 28th in the New Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and by the generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

Samhlaiocht Summer Sale

2009-07-17T05:09:00.000-07:00

Muiriosa Murphy with pieces of her work

It's difficult to turn on a television or newspaper these days with out hearing about the recession and the trying financial times. In an effort to combat the doom and gloom Samhlaiocht is hosting a summer art sale, which opens on Thursday, July 23rd and runs through to Friday, August 14th.

"This Exhibition is designed to be a real recession buster," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht Gallery coordinator. "We're hoping to alleviate the suffering on two levels. First by offering wonderful art by fantastic local artists at an unbelievable price and secondly by helping local artists find a market."

The work on sale is by selected artists Judy Costello, Eileen Kavanagh, Seamus McDonnell and Muiriosa Murphy with a range of work to suit everyone and all tastes from drawings to paintings and from prints to sculpture.

Eileen Kavanagh, or Eily as she is also known, is from the Dingle peninsula. She is a self taught artist reared on a farm that was sandwiched between the Connor Pass and Lios Dorgan, a mountain named after her mother’s immediate ancestors.

The middle of five children, Eily is a ciotog or left-handed which is sometimes considered bad luck!

Judy Costello, on the other hand is a Limerick born artist, who discovered the artist within after moving to the beautiful mountain landscape of Tonevane, near Blennerville. Judy and Eily are old friends and exhibited together in Samhlaiocht in 2007.

Muiriosa Murphy hails from Rathmore originally, and is a born painter, sculptor and print-maker. She finds inspiration in life but also in the tactile interaction with the materials she uses. "I love the freedom and sense of discovery every time I create something," she says.

Muiriosa's sculptures have an almost iconic look to them, and would not seem entirely out of place in a museum. "Well I think that people today can feel a sense of alienation to the world around them. Humans have surrounded themselves with masses of concrete and metal for an extremely short time, in an evolutionary sense, and so they can, at times, feel alienated from their surroundings," she says.

There is a certain timelessness about her sculpture, a feeling of connectivity to history. "I think that art should cross boundaries and be relevant irrespective of culture and time," she explains, quickly adding with a laugh, "not that I've achieved that just yet!"

Seamus McDonnell, who grew up in Ballymacelligott, is quite a fan of Muiriosa's work. "I think her work is excellent and I’m delighted to have an opportunity to exhibit work in the same gallery."

In fact the two artists are quick to complement each other and also shared an exhibition in Samhlaiocht in 2008.

Seamus has been sketching and drawing all his life before suddenly taking up oil painting eight years ago. "Well, I've always been good at art, and had a very strong interest in sketching, but I had a very vivid dream about a painting and just had to create the painting and luckily it turned out well!"

In fact this personal approach and connection to art is something that both artists are quite comfortable with, "I find I use Art almost as a therapeutic exercise," says Seamus, who works in Tralee General Hospital and Muiriosa quickly agrees. "Absolutely, it goes back to what I was saying about alienation - Art helps me to make sense of what's going on inside me while also helping me make sense of what's going on with other people."

The exhibition opens on Thursday, 23rd of July and runs to Friday, 14th of August in the Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Michael O' Cleary's BARN OWLS comes to Samhlaiocht

2009-06-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

The landscape of Kerry is a defining feature in the lives of most of its populace and this is doubly true for many of its wonderful artists and writers. One such artist is Michael O' Cleary, the landscape of Kerry and, in particular, its feathered inhabitants feature strongly in his art. The Exhibition will be opened by Eric Dempsey. Eric is a professional bird tour guide and is a regular panelist from the Derek Mooney Radio show on RTE 1 radio.

"Nature and art are inextricably linked for me and have been, I suppose, since I was 13 years old," says Michael. "I've never really been able to explain it, but I think art is something that every child loves and I think I just pursued it more that others."

Another passion that Michael has followed since childhood is a love of ornithology. "When I first began bird-watching it was easy to incorporate my love of art and it's something I pursued right through to college."

Michael attended the NCAD and, under advisement from his lecturers, his degree show featured his work with birds. It was from this that he was commissioned to work on his first book, The Complete Guide to Ireland's Birds, a task which was to take two years. "It was a ferocious work load," says Michael. "The book has more than 640 illustrations."

Despite the time commitment it developed into a career and Michael now works full time as a wildlife artist, designer, author and illustrator, in Ireland and in Spain, while he resides on the Dingle Peninsula.

Michael who hails from County Down originally visited Kerry in a camper van in January about 6 years ago. "It was actually snowing at the time," laughs Michael, "but I fell in love with the place and moved to Brandon for a couple of years before buying a house in Camp. I'm putting down roots now and can't ever imagine leaving."

"The Samhlaiocht Gallery is delighted to welcome well known freelance bird and wildlife artist, author and illustrator Michael O' Cleary and his 'Barn Owl's Hidden Realm' exhibition to the Gallery," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht Gallery coordinator. "The exhibition will be a treat for all Art lovers but, more than that, will truly inspire anyone who loves wildlife. The life-like quality of the work speaks volumes, not just for Michael's artistic ability, but of his love for these most amazing animals."

The exhibition features barn owls, one of Ireland's most elusive and endangered species of owl. Barn owls are nocturnal and, as such, are rarely seen by the public.

"I spent a year seeking out Barn Owls throughout Kerry, and have been privileged to witness them at first hand on many occasions, in many contexts," says Michael. "With the paintings in this exhibition, I hope to reflect the strange beauty of these animals, mostly within a variety of settings created by man, and also places in slow decay."

Barn owls inhabit human landscapes, nesting and living out their unobtrusive lives almost exclusively in derelict cottages, ruined houses, old castles and neglected farm buildings. The paradox is that, for a species which is so elusive and shy of humans, it is utterly dependent on us for secure nest sites, albeit in the places which we have abandoned.

Most people have never seen a barn owl or have only had the briefest of glimpses and this latest Samhlaiocht exhibition is a perfect opportunity for people to see these beautiful birds captured in their natural habitats.

The exhibition opens on Thursday 25th of June and runs to Friday 17th of July in the New Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte

Ireland

and by the generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Samhlaiocht Issues Call for Entries to 2010 Programme

2009-06-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Samhlaiocht Gallery has issued a call for entries from Artists interested in exhibiting as part of Samhlaiocht's 2010 Gallery programme.

"As part of Samhlaiocht's ongoing collaboration with Artists we're inviting them to submit work for consideration for our 2010 Gallery programme," said Jason O' Mahony, Director of Samhlaiocht. "The past two years have been wonderfully successful for us in terms of exhibitions. We had more exhibitions, sold more paintings and discovered more talent than ever before. We're hoping that 2010 will bring more of the same and that this call for entries will attract the best and brightest up-and-coming artists from through out Ireland, while also attracting more established artists looking for an additional platform for their work."

The submission is open to all Artists. Applications are invited from individual artists, or groups of artists, working in any medium for inclusion in the 2010 Samhlaiocht Gallery Programme.

Applications should be submitted in writing by Friday, July 10th.

The Application should contain:
1. Current Biography or CV.
2. Artist's Statement (max. 400 words) and Exhibition Proposal (max. 200 words)
3. 10 - 12 high quality images of the work. Images can be submitted as digital prints, photographs, slides, or jpeg format.
4. Image list with titles, medium and dimensions clearly labelled.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery first opened in July 1999 in Maine Street, Tralee. The philosophy behind the Gallery mirrors the overall philosophy of Samhlaiocht, which is to help, promote and establish up-and coming Artists, provide a platform for more established artists and facilitate community groups working in any artistic medium.

The New Samhlaiocht Gallery is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

Please address your applications to:
Trish Thompson, Art Gallery Coordinator, Samhlaiocht, The Old Presbytery, Lower Castle St. Tralee or email trish@samhlaiocht.com or phone 066 7129934

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and by the generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

Cliona Fox & Julie Lovett at Samhlaiocht

2009-05-28T04:10:00.000-07:00

Samhlaiocht, the leading Arts Organization in Kerry, continues its long tradition of bringing the very best and brightest of up-and-coming artists to the Kingdom with a wonderful new exhibition opening on Thursday, Thursday 28^th May at 7:00 pm. The exhibition will feature work from Recent Kerry Graduates, Julie Lovett & Cliona Fox.

Julie Lovett was born in Kerry and received her Honours degree in Painting in 2007 from the Limerick school of Art and Design. Since then she has had a studio in Cork and is currently working in Limerick City. She has exhibited widely in Kerry, Limerick, and Dublin and recently in Leipzig Germany. She will be commencing her Masters in Fine art in Belfast this September.

"In a generation that's so consumed with problem and conspiracy, my work investigates the inconsistencies that contributes to a doubtful and insecure civilizatio," says Julie. "Social phenomena excites me, I wish to look at art as a phenomenological activity, i.e., art as a language, art as an entertainment, art as life." Julie intents to use the exhibition as a playful environment suitable for a response to art as a socially constructed phenomenological activity.

Cliona Fox is a recent graduate of N.C.A.D. where she received a BA Honours in Fine Art and Painting. She has exhibited extensively throughout Ireland and works between Dublin and her studio in Kerry. "My paintings are a technical combination of both abstract and representational art," say Cliona, "there is a 'tugging' between realism and abstraction that makes for a constant ongoing struggle, where decisions regarding composition, colour, editing etc are a frequent challenge. The value of such struggle however is that by engaging in this process I usually end up trying out new and experimental ideas which I find invariably result in exciting rewards."

The narrative contained in her work deals with the memory of the long standing fishing tradition we have had as an island people and the threat to that industry because of global impacts. The viewer is invited to consider and fill in the blanks of 'all that remains' of a traditional industry now in terminal decline.

The Exhibition will be opened by Clare Horgan on Thursday 28^th May at 7.00pm at the Samhlaiocht Gallery, Lower Castle Street Tralee and runs to Friday 19^th June.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Maeve Brennan to Exhibit at Samhlaiocht

2009-04-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

Samhlaiocht, the leading Arts Organisation in Kerry, continues its long tradition of bringing the very best and brightest of up-and-coming artists to the Kingdom with a wonderful new exhibition opening on Thursday, April 30th at 7:00 pm. The exhibition will feature work from Dublin based Artist, Maeve Brennan.

Maeve currently lives and works in Dublin where she graduated from DIT with an honors degree in 2003. She has been working steadily ever since and has exhibited at a number of shows in the capital all the while working on current series, which is titled "People and Places of Attachment".

Her work has allowed her to acquire a greater practical knowledge of oil painting particularly given the fact that Maeve works from the Richmond Road Studios in Dublin.

"The feeling of attachment to places of familial history is the thread running through my current work," says Maeve. "Some images focus on the past and the people of the past while others focus on the present, the 'now'."

"We are thrilled to welcome Maeve to Tralee and are looking forward to exhibiting her work in our Gallery," said Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator Samhlaiocht. "Maeve's work is thought provoking and there is a beautiful eeriness to it. It invites viewers in and affords them an opportunity to experience someone else's story through engaging with the work."

Maeve's work has developed and is quiet realistic at times, with a strong emphasis on the use of colour. Her work, while still exploring areas of texture, the fluidity of the paint, as well as experimenting with different opacities displays a maturity and technical skill that is a wonder to behold. Her work is generally figurative, combined with a strong interest in the landscapes surrounding the figures. For the current series, she has used a layered, glazed technique.

"Some of the people in this body of work are living," explains Maeve, "while some are deceased, yet all have had a relationship with me. Presented in this way, that relationship becomes incidental."

Maeve attempts to preserve what has passed and marks the passing of time and family, while striving to preserve the present.

The exhibition will be opened by Mayor of Tralee, Councillor Ted Fitzgerald, on Thursday 30th April at 7.00pm and will run until Friday 22nd May. The Exhibition takes place in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday, the gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and by the generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Costelloe, Cunningham and Usher to Exhibit in Samhlaiocht

2009-03-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

Exhibition Titled 'Made in Kerry' to Open on Thursday March 12th

From the delicacy of watercolours to the vibrancy of acrylics by way of sculpture in both wood and ceramics, the latest exhibition from Samhlaiocht, the premier Arts organisation in Kerry, showcases three of the very best Kerry-based Artists. The exhibition, titled 'Made in Kerry', features work from Judy Costelloe, Marjorie Cunningham and Jacinta Scully Usher.

"Kerry is an absolute inspiration," said Jason O' Mahony, Director of Samhlaiocht, "from the beautiful scenery, to the colourful characters to the weather, there's no denying the undoubted influence that the county has on all our lives. This is doubly true for Artists that are lucky enough to live here."

Take Jacinta Usher, for example, she's a textile artist, living and working on Banna Mountain in North Kerry. Working in woven tapestry and felt, her art is created from natural fibres including merino wool, silk and silk filaments. She draws inspiration from the natural environment, in particular from the beauty found in the distinctive costal grassland, or Machair, found on the sand dunes just above the shore line. "My work is inspired by the shore, the sea and sky," says Jacinta, "and I hope that through my work, I can raise awareness about the threats that exist to the flora and fauna and help preserve the wonderfully delicate balance of nature."

This balance is something that is echoed in the work of Marjorie Cunningham. Her work, in wood and ceramics, was created with the broad them of 'Balance' in mind. "It occurred to me that life is balanced around a sphere and everything flows from that," says Marjorie. "My ideas are very influenced by Celtic design and I love the fact that wood grows from the ground, from clay, and, ultimately, returns to clay when the tree dies. So my work achieves that same balance, that journey, as clay and wood are one."

She prefers, however, to say little about her work, allowing the viewer to form his or her own interpretation. Marjorie graduated from the Crawford School of Art in 1982, having received a Guinness Peat Aviation Award for her sculpture. She has worked in her studio in Blennerville for the past 18 years and the ceramic work in the current exhibition has been created thanks to a Kerry County Council Creative Work Bursary.

Judy Costelloe is no stranger to working in different media and her Art is also a jouney. She has, over her long and illustrious career, worked with watercolours, acrylics, oils, clay and printmaking. "Working in a variety of media has been a wonderful learning process for me and has afforded me a wealth of experience, many challenges and even a little success," says Judy. "My silk-painting continues to evolve and the creation of each individual piece acts like a stepping-stone on my longer journey. The delicacy, but also the resilience of the silk fabric and the jewel like colours of the paints provides tremendous opportunities for expression."

Her work in the current exhibition explores colour as a visual element that defines our world and our moods.

"The exhibition definitely offers the viewer something a little different," says Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator. "With a selection of beautifully handmade silk painting by Judy Costelloe, tactile woven tapestries and felt work by Jacinta Scully Usher and fascinating organic sculpture pieces by Marjorie Cunningham, it neatly encapsulates the magical experience of living in Kerry."

The exhibition opens on Thursday, March 12^th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee and runs right through until Friday 3^rd of April.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday, the gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship from Kerry Group.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Robin Jones to Exhibit in Samhlaiocht

2009-02-06T03:29:00.000-08:00

Samhlaiocht has a long tradition of attracting the very best and brightest up-and-coming artists to its Gallery and the latest show is no different! Robin Jones is a hot topic on the Art Scene and is definitely considered one to watch out for. His exhibition / installation opens in the Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday 12th February and runs right through to Friday 6th March.

"We're delighted to be exhibiting work from Robin in the Samhlaiocht Gallery," said Trish Thompson, Gallery coordinator. "We've worked with Robin for a number of years and it's fantastic to see his work improving as time progresses - he started on a level that many artists will never achieve and has been steadily improving."

That's high praise indeed for the artist who was born in Tralee but currently lives in Galway. "He was one of sixteen artists selected for an open submission exhibition in 2000 and we were so impressed that we invited him back again in 2004 for a special exhibition celebrating work by Kerry artists," added Trish. "And we're absolutely delighted that he's agreed to come back again in 2009."

Robin has been making waves with his work but he has an equally impressive theoretical background having graduated from both the Limerick School of Art and Design and the Galway, Mayo Institute of Technology. He is currently studying for a Masters of Fine Art at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art in London, while lecturing and teaching extramural classes to staff of NUI, Galway and the Galway Technical Institute.

"My work is a process of working out painting and its playing out of its own dumb game. It involves the building and rebuilding of fragments until they arrive at some relationship," says Robin, "I don't feel I want to tell anyone anything, but I suppose that if the work has to say anything, it would be to simply ask the question 'What do you think?'"

"I'm interested in the idea of a world in flux, things neither fixed nor independent, with every little shift creating links between inner and outer states, between the past and the present. I dislike embellishment and try to get rid of everything that seems expendable from my painting," added Robin. "The putting things in is a tortuous, time consuming process."

The exhibition opens on Thursday, February 12th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee and runs right through until Friday, March 6th.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday, the gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and by the generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Exhibition of New Work by Rita Oates and Will O' Kane

2009-01-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

Pink Beside Green by Will O' Kane

An exhibition of artwork from two national artists will go on display in the Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday, 15^th January. The exhibition features work by Rita Oates and Will O' Kane.

"As part of Samhlaiocht's ongoing collaboration with Artists, we invited artists from all over the country to submit work for consideration for our 2009 Gallery programme," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht's Art Gallery Coordinator. "We were absolutely blown away by the level of work we received. The past two years have been wonderfully successful for us in terms of exhibitions. We had more exhibitions, sold more paintings and discovered more talent than ever before. We were hoping that submissions for 2009 would bring more of the same and we weren't disappointed. We attracted the best and brightest up and coming artists from Kerry and beyond, while also attracting more established artists looking for an additional outlet for their work."

Rita Oates was born in America and now lives and works in Co. Roscommon. She is a graduate of N.U.I.G and the Galway College of Art and Design. Rita's first love is graphite, the black and white of paper, pencil, charcoal and inks, its directness and strength. She also works in colour with acrylics and oils on canvas, paper and wood. The theme of Rita's work is 'Mantra' which 'mind freeing' in Sanskrit.

"The pieces in this exhibition dwell on the rhythm and music of the mantra," says Rita, "and how its repetitive nature creates a sense of timelessness. The pieces themselves are physically quite small in order to entice the viewer to come closer and to become intimate with the work."

Rita looks for the heartbeat in the mantra through the silence around it, her work travels through people, places, memory and struggle, yet it always ends in hope; hope that is not naive, but hope that allows one to live and not just survive.

Will O' Kane, who was born in Mayo, also graduated from a school in Galway though this time the Galway, Mayo Institute of Technology where he received Honours degree in Fine Art. Will works full time as an artist and devotes himself to portraiture.

"The artwork I make is focused primarily on the human figure," says Will, "although I create images based on the physical appearance of specific people, I am also concerned with the notion of individuality, in a general sense."

The exhibition opens on January 15th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee and runs right through until Friday 6th February.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday, the gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship from Kerry Group.

SALON DE CHIARRAI 2008 EXHIBITION AT SAMHLAIOCHT GALLERY

2008-11-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

Salon Style Show to Open on Thursday, November 20th in Tralee

A new exhibition, styled after the famous 18th Century French exhibitions, Salon de Paris, and called the Salon de Chiarrai!, is set to open in Tralee on Thursday, November 20th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery.

Local and national artists were invited to submit work for Salon de Chiarrai 2008, and the work came flooding in from all parts of the Kingdom. All works submitted will hang over the walls in Samhlaiocht's intimate gallery which is on Lower Castle Street in Tralee.

"We are blown away with the number of entries for our Salon De Chiarrai show," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "We've received original paintings, drawings and etchings, large and small pieces in a whole variety of styles."

The only conditions for submissions was that all work had to be framed or ready for hanging, all work had to be for sale, and no work could have previously been exhibited at The Samhlaiocht Gallery.

"Kerry has always been known for its writers but looking at some of these pieces it's easy to imagine that in the future it'll be every bit as famous for its Artists," added O' Mahony.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery is at the forefront of bringing new and exciting artists to the public in Kerry and this show allows such artists an opportunity to have their work seen. The Salon show will, however, also feature work from many of the better known Kerry based artists as well as featuring some work from Artists making a name for themselves on a national scale.

The Salon de Chiarrai has a wonderfully eclectic feeling to it, featuring everything from stunning landscapes to sketches of colourful Kerry characters. The exhibition is definitely worth a trip for art lovers while affording a perfect opportunity to pick up a unique Christmas gift that will be treasured long after the holiday season passes.

The exhibition opens on November 20th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart of Tralee and runs right through the Christmas period until December 23rd.

Opening times at the Gallery are from 9.00am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday, the gallery is open to everyone and is free to visit.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship from Kerry Group.

Samhlaiocht Exhibition Inspired by Arts Council Collection

2008-10-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Exhibition by Tralee Studetns, 'Re-Marked', on display from Friday, Oct 31st to Fri, Nov 14th

During the Samhlaiocht Easter Festival an exhibition of drawings from the collection of The Arts Council of Ireland was on display in the Samhlaiocht and Siamsa Galleries. The exhibition called 'Making Their Mark' was a huge success and represented an unprecedented and unique opportunity for the people of Kerry to see works by artists of national renown. Samhlaiocht invited local students to visit the exhibition and to produce work of their own in response to that exhibition - the current exhibition, Re-Marked, is their creative response.

"The Making Their Mark exhibition featured works by artists such as James Hanley, Camille Souter, Brian Bourke and Stephen Brandes," said Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator at Samhlaiocht. "From traditional to contemporary, the exhibition revealed the breadth and imagination within the drawing practices of artists working in Ireland over the past 40 years and we felt it a wonderful opportunity for students in Kerry to both see the work and create work in response to it."

"The opportunity to submit work for public exhibition is at once exhilarating and daunting. The process of making a considered response to the works of others challenged the students' creativity in surprising ways," said Lillie O' Sullivan, art teacher at Presentation Secondary School. "The range of techniques and experimental approaches they employed in their work included making paper by hand, marbling, sewing, carving lino, driving nails, tearing up perfectly respectable charcoal drawings and putting canvas through the printing press."

"Samhlaiocht would like to congratulate the students from both Presentation Secondary School and Tralee Community College who have picked up the gauntlet to respond to the work of those well-known Irish artists," added Trish. "Taking on board other artists' ideas and creative approaches is no easy task, but these students have done so with great flair, successfully pushing the boundaries of their own creativity resulting in innovative, challenging and exciting work of their own."

"While it was a frustrating and exasperating process at times," added Lilie with a laugh, "it was also hugely rewarding and enriching. It's a great opportunity for the students to participate fully as artists in a public exhibition, to have their work acknowledged and their achievements celebrated. The students sparkle with creativity and spirit and I am very proud of each and every one of them!"

Samhlaiocht is indebted to the consistent support and co-operation of Lillie O' Sullivan from the Presentation Secondary School Tralee, Mary Kirby from Tralee Community College, and to Helena Gorey, Collections Manager with the Arts Council of Ireland. This project and the resulting exhibitions would not have been possible without their enthusiasm and unwavering commitment.

The exhibition, which is titled 'Re-marked', opens on Friday, October 31st, and runs until Friday, November 14th , in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

Calling All Artists - 2nd Annual Salon de Chiarrai

2008-10-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Salon Style Show to Open on Thursday, 20th November in Tralee

In the style of 18th Century French exhibitions, Samhlaiocht will unveil the second annual Salon de Chiarrai exhibition late this November. No wall space will be left uncovered!

Artists from all over Kerry are invited to submit work for the second annual Salon de Chiarrai, which will take place from 20th November to 23rd December at The Samhlaiocht Gallery in The Old Presbytery, Lower Castle Street Tralee.

"We were blown away with the number of entries for our first Salon De Chiarrai show," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "We received original paintings, drawings and etchings, large and small pieces in a whole variety of styles."

All original paintings, drawings and etchings, in any medium are welcome and there is no limitation on the scale of the work, however, submissions are limited to one per Artist. The only conditions for submission are that all work must be framed and ready for hanging, all work must be for sale, and work must not have previously been exhibited at The Samhlaiocht Gallery.

Last year over 80 pieces of art were selected from the submitted works and hung all over the walls in Samhlaiocht's intimate gallery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee.

"Kerry has always been known for its writers but last year the amount of work that was submitted suggests that in the future it'll be every bit as famous for its Artists!" added O' Mahony.

Work must be delivered to The Samhlaiocht Gallery during the week of the 10th to the 14th November. Artists will be notified if their work has been selected by Tuesday 18th November.

The Salon De Chiarrai Exhibition opens on 20th November and runs right through the Christmas period until December 23rd.

Last year's Salon had a wonderfully eclectic feeling to it, featuring everything from stunning landscapes to sketches of colourful Kerry characters such as John B. Keane and sales were brisk as the public picked up unique Christmas gifts that were treasured long after the holiday season passed.

All work must be clearly labelled with name and address and contact details.

For more information on the Samhlaiocht Salon de Chiarrai please contact Trish Thompson on 066 712 9934 or through email on trish@samhlaiocht.com

For more info on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

Samhlaiocht is supported through grant aid from The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and through generous corporate sponsorship from Kerry Group.

EXHIBITION OF NEW WORK BY JANET FITZGERALD & JJ SHEEHY

2008-09-23T02:47:00.000-07:00

JJ Sheehy and Con Houlihan

Work inspired by the People and Places of Kerry, exhibition titled Kerry: People &Place, Opens in Samhlaiocht, Thursday, October 2nd

Kerry is an exquisite, enchanting place and those of us lucky enough to live here can easily conjure up pictures of colourful characters and beautiful landscapes. It is these that form the basis of new work by Janet Tvedten Fitzgerald and JJ Sheehy.

Janet, who hails originally from Kansas City in the U.S., and JJ, who hails from Lyreacrompane, have, despite the differences in their birth places, an outlook on life and on art that is as similar as those two places are different. Each draws inspiration from Kerry and from the beautiful landscape, the countryside and from the personalities that live here.

"I have a natural love of what we see all around us," says JJ, "it's the magical things in every day life that I love. For instance, later on this evening, I'm off to the pub to play a game of 45 for a euro! It’s those simple pleasures, those every day things that I love most and are closest to my heart."

It's this simple love of everyday things that creates a truth that shines from his work. Janet, who has been living in Ireland since 2001 and in Dingle since 2003, is similarly enamoured with the people she meets or comes across on a daily basis.

"My portrait drawings in the exhibition focus on people that live and work in the Dingle area," says Janet.

Yet from such seemingly ordinary inspiration, both artists have created work that is anything but commonplace. "The people in my portraits come from all walks of life," adds Janet. "A well know Kerry Politician, a respected writer and artists, an elderly gentleman often seen walking the streets of Dingle who never fails to offer a friendly smile, a salute, and a nod. A person's face is a window to the soul and a record of their life, loves, desires and experiences. What interests me is the humanity, honesty, integrity and, sometimes, pure 'character', shinning through each face. And that's what I endeavour to capture and relate to the viewer."

She succeeds in spades. JJ is equally fond of the characters that he comes across and well known, and better loved, Kerry writers feature strongly in his work. Men such as Con Houlihan, Brian McMahon and John B Keane. JJ's proud of the international renown in which these authors are held and prouder still to have known some of them personally, his love of portraiture comes to the fore in his treatment of his subjects.

"I love strong features," says JJ. "For example Brian McMahon had such striking features, yet really calm eyes. My father and mother told me about meeting him in Listowel. He was a man that loved to stop and chat. He liked to talk and to pass the time of day."

While inspired by similar traits the artists use different techniques to portray their subjects. JJ uses generous layers and applications that combine to form images full of character representing the great writers in a powerful yet subtle way while Janet uses sensitive, personal pencil drawings to capture the personalities of her subjects to perfection.

Both artists believe that their upbringing had a huge part to play in their artistic undertakings.

"I was involved in the arts from the time I could hold a pencil," says Janet. "My Father's method for minding his children was setting up a still life arrangement and passing out paper and pencils. I often accompanied him on sketching journeys to rural areas around Kansas City. And it's been a life long passion ever since."

"My father was a writer, a farmer first and foremost, but also a writer. He wrote a lot of songs and poems and many of them were printed in the local papers years back. If you saw where I was born and reared you'd know immediately why he was a writer and I'm a painter!" adds JJ with a laugh. "When you're surrounded by such beauty on a daily basis, it's hard not to try to express it in some way - either through writing or through art."

Two artists, one from Kerry and one from Kansas, despite all the differences, it seems both places are practically the same!

Janet Tvedten Fitzgerald

The exhibition, which is titled 'Kerry: People & Place', opens on Thursday, October 2nd, and runs until Friday, October 24th, in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The exhibition will be opened by Mike O' Shea, the well known west Kerry author and personality. Mike's portrait will form part of the exhibition. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

EXHIBITION OF NEW WORK BY ISABELLE GABORIT

2008-08-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Isabelle Gaborit's 'Somewhere In Between' exhibition opens in Samhlaiocht, Thursday, September 4th

Tony Bennett's signature tune, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, speaks of the magical effect a place can have on a person and while Tony's heart was captured by the City by the Bay, many who visit Ireland experience the same feeling. Captivated by the beauty of the landscape or the beauty of the 'cailini' many a visitor has left their heart in Ireland!

One such visitor was Isabelle Gaborit who hails from La Rochelle in the South West of France. She visited Ireland, fell in love with the place, and stayed from the first! "I came to Ireland in 1993 on a student exchange from my college in France," says Isabelle. "But I came with my car fully packed because I knew I would love it and I have been here ever since!"

Her primary reason for visiting was to study English but she was also taking classes in Celtic Studies and has always had an interest in Art. "I was lucky, because while I was studying in France we were encouraged to take extra-curricular classes and I took Art. When I came to Ireland I found the place absolutely beautiful, just as I was expecting, and having graduated decided to dedicate myself to my Art."

Having completed her primary degree she remained in Ireland and since then she has become an active member of the artistic community and recently graduated from the Galway, Mayo Institute of Technology with an honours degree in Fine Art.

Isabelle is captivated by the landscape and her inspiration for this exhibition 'springs' from Holy Wells. "I once did a project called 'Sense of Place' that encouraged us, as Artists, to think about the place from where we come or the places that are dear to us," says Isabelle. "I'm inspired by the holy wells and ground waters of Ireland. They almost seem to record the relationship between the land and its people. The wells evoke a depth and stillness while also working as a reflection or mirror of the soul. The waters are gentle, soft and beautiful, but also there's a history to these places while many are legendary for their healing powers. So there are many different layers at work."

Her work mirrors this, "I use my art to explore these different layers," says Isabelle. "My work reminds me to look underneath, to unwrap the numerous layers and, hopefully, it allows the viewer a space in between, somewhere, perhaps, between reality and memory."

To this end her work uses a collage of objects which she has found while incorporating inks, watercolours, acrylics, pastels, and pencil drawings. "I guess my work is almost like a personal jigsaw," laughs Isabelle. "I deal with fragments of my own memory, things I have found and I try to work on different layers, planes or levels. The idea is to capture the eye of the viewer and draw him or her into the painting, into the different details in the work."

The paintings, which were completed between 2007 and 2008, became, almost, a mirror to the changing moods of the Artist and the many changing moods of Irish weather as the seasons passed, from winter to summer. The paintings reflect this passing with shades ranging from cool, cold tones to bright, cheerful splashes of colours.

Isabelle grew up next to the sea and admits to absolutely loving water but there may be just a little too much water for her here! "While I feel absolutely at home in Ireland, I have a two year old baby girl and a wonderful partner, I have to admit to sometimes missing the weather in the South of France," laughs Isabelle. "But at least the rain here keeps the holy wells full to brimming!"

The exhibition, which is titled 'Somewhere In Between', opens on Thursday, September 4th, and runs until Friday, September 26th, in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

Samhlaiocht Exhibition is Rubbish!!

2008-07-30T04:01:00.000-07:00

Junk Art and Recycled Sculpture Competition and Exhibition to Open on August 7th

How often have you heard Art described as 'Rubbish'? Well in this instance, the opening of a new Exhibition in Samhlaiocht, the description is perfectly apt and, yet, as far from the truth as possible! The Exhibition titled, 'Don't Rubbish It', focuses on raising awareness of the creative potential of much of the rubbish that is thrown away on a daily basis. The challenge set to Artists was to create innovative art and sculpture from 'junk' materials that would, in the normal course of things, be thrown away.

The competition has been running for a few years now and the quality of the work and the number of entries received has continued to astound Jane Savage, one of the judges of the competition, and the lady charged with opening the exhibition in Samhlaiocht. "Sarah O' Brien, Michael O' Coilean, the Kerry County Council Environmental Awareness Officer, Paul Sherry, manager of the Killarney Outlet Centre, Tadgh Moriarty, manager of Killarney Summerfest and I were the judges of the competition. It was far too important a decision to leave to just one person!" laughs Jane.

The competition had four different categories for National Schools, Secondary Schools, Adults and Professional Artists and with the growing realisation of the importance of recycling and the environment the competition has certainly struck a chord across all age groups and categories with a wonderfully eclectic mix of Artwork. It also struck a chord amongst sponsors with The Kerryman, Astellas Ireland Ltd, Sport Corran Tuathail, KWD Recycling and Killarney Town Council Arts Committee climbing on board to offer a whole slew of prizes totalling over 4,000 euro in value!

"We're delighted the exhibition is coming to Samhlaiocht," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht Gallery Coordinator. "I think it's hugely important that people become more environmentally aware and conscious of the decisions they make when it comes to reusing and recycling. Everyone can remember being children, getting lovely fancy toys, setting them aside and then having hours of fun playing in the box the toys came in! We should all try to rediscover that magic, and strive to ensure that absolutely nothing that can be used is carelessly discarded."

"I've always been environmentally conscious," adds Jane. "I live in Killarney on the outskirts of the National Park, one of the most beautiful locations in the whole county, if not the world, I love gardening, love the outdoors and this just ties so well into that."

Over twenty pieces were created for the competition all utilising materials that would otherwise have ended up in the bin and while one little competition is unlikely to change the world it is certainly proof that people are moving in the right direction.

"When we were young, my Mom used to chase after people and give out to them for littering," says Jane. "It used to embarrass me terribly. But I'm so proud of her now. And the funny thing is, she's still doing it and she's eighty eight years old!"

The exhibition opens on Thursday, August 7th, and runs until Friday, August 29th, in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

EXHIBITION OF NEW WORK BY EILEEN KENNEDY

2008-06-26T04:43:00.000-07:00

Eileen outside her studio in Ashgrove, Tralee

You sometimes hear an artist say they find art therapeutic and when you visit Eileen Kennedy's intimate little studio, it's easy to see why! Eileen, who is married to local music legend, James Kennedy, and has two children, Clare and Ciaran, has a delightful studio behind her house in Ashgrove in Tralee. Access to the studio is by way of a meticulously kept garden that features statues of the Buddha and is soothing to the senses from the first moment of entry.

"Before we built the studio, I used to paint in an upstairs bedroom and when I was preparing the dinner I'd move the easel down to the kitchen and place it next to the cooker," laughs Eileen, "so it's nice to have a space that's dedicated to Art."

Eileen, who is from Tralee originally, studied art at Crawford School of Art and Design where she was awarded Student of the Year by the Cork Arts Society. She is a born painter, sculptor and print-maker and finds inspiration in life but also in the tactile interaction with the materials she uses. In fact one of her earliest memories is of asking her grandfather to show her how to paint at the extraordinarily young age of two! "I love the freedom and sense of discovery every time I create something," she says, "and it's a feeling that I have loved for as long as I can remember."

And while Eileen works primarily from her painting studio at home she also travels to Cork Printmakers on a regular basis. Her work has been shown extensively in Ireland and she has exhibited in Belgium, China and right across the U.S.

One exhibition currently running in America was organised by Jimmy Deenihan, TD for Kerry North. The exhibition, titled, A Different Land: Irish Bogland Interpretations, opened in New York in March of this year at Magnan Projects and features Eileen's print, Windblown Cotton, as well as work from another 26 Irish artists. "Jimmy has been a huge help to me and many other Kerry artists," said Eileen, "not just for this but for all the work he puts into the annual art exhibition in Finuge, during The Sean McCarthy Weekend, and much more besides."

Another two of Eileen's prints were selected for a touring exhibition in the U.S., Prints from Ireland, and, as you read this, are on route to Hawaii!

Luckily, though, you won't have to go to Hawaii to view her prints, as an exhibition of her work will go on display at the new Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday, July 10th. The exhibition will be opened by Jimmy Deenihan. Eileen is no stranger to Samhlaiocht having exhibited at the gallery in 2004.

Paper Pool of Love. Watercolour by Eileen Kennedy

"Eileen's last show was a sell-out success," said Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator of Samhlaiocht, "and we're delighted to have her back for another exhibition. Her prints flow with an energy that mirrors life and while some are imbued with painterly vigour that belie the formal structure of the printmaking process others are implicitly adherent to the process. It's a wonderful combination and the work is both free flowing and immediate, yet, at the same time, structured and considered."

Eileen elaborates saying, "I relate to Art that is honest and real and reveals life with all its perfections and flaws. There is a beauty and rawness to life and Nature that I seek to express in my work."

This beauty and rawness resonates with the viewer and is surely, at least, partly responsible for Eileen's success to date. Not only are her exhibitions successes but her work features in a wide range of privately held Art Collections including those of AIB, Kerry County Council and Kerry Education Service while she has also been short-listed to design collectors' coins for the Central Bank.

Success aside, you get the feeling that if all sales were to dry up tomorrow Eileen would still paint and print in her little studio. "Sometimes when I feel exhausted that exhaustion is equally evident in the work and results in pieces that are softer and, somehow, more human," she says.

And it's that honesty, that willingness to put herself into her work, which makes it so appealing both to Eileen as an artist and to the viewer.

The exhibition opens on Thursday, July 10th, and runs until Friday, August 1st, in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

Exhibition of Award Winning Art from 54th Texaco Children's Art Competition

2008-06-04T03:52:00.000-07:00

The exhibition will include Work from Rebecca Murphy, Kerry Native and Art Competition Winner, pictured above.

With past winners including everyone from TD's to world renowned artists, the Texaco Children's Art Competition has played an influential role in the artistic lives of children in Ireland for fifty four years. To celebrate this achievement, Samhlaiocht, Kerry's premiere Arts Organisation is exhibiting a selection of the winning entries from the latest Competition.

"The Texaco Children's Art Competition has been encouraging artistic talent in Children for over half a century," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "When you look at a list of past winners and the effect that winning the Competition had on their lives it's absolutely unbelievable! The spirit of the Competition is very much in keeping with the ethos of Samhlaiocht, to encourage Children to enjoy, create and participate in the Arts."

Ruairi Quinn TD, a prize winner of the Texaco Children's Art Competition at the time of the Suez Crisis, said, "I won my first Texaco prize at the age of 10. Then I was doing it (art) without realising I was good at it. By the time I was a teenager it was central to my life. I painted constantly, right through until I was about 27 or 28."

"I was fortunate enough to get encouragement from that first award. I won a couple of other awards at different age categories," he added. "It had a profound effect on my life and what I subsequently did."

The Competition is having an equally influential effect on current day winners. Rebecca Murphy, who hails from Killarney is 8 year old and was a First Prize Winner in this year's Competition with a wonderful painting called, The Hungry Toucan.

"I feel like the luckiest girl in Ireland," laughed Rebecca, "it's a great feeling to win." When asked about her inspiration for the painting, she says, "I love animals and birds. I got a book about the rainforest and decided to paint a toucan and now budgies and toucans are my favorite birds or animals."

"We were delighted and very proud of Rebecca that she won," said Maire Murphy, Rebecca's mom, a Killarney native. "We were humbled by the standard of work that we saw at the Awards Ceremony. Winning the prize has had an immensely positive effect on her and given her fantastic confidence."

Maire, who is a teacher in Killarney and husband Sean, who owns Lord Kenmare's Restaurant, felt becoming part of a winning group of talented Children was central to Rebecca's growing confidence. Maire was also quick to heap praise on Texaco for their "amazing generosity" while saying that all the prize winners were "treated like royalty."

With over thirty thousand entries a year, the Competition is a breeding ground for young artists, and many past winners have gone on to have successful careers in Art. When asked to describe the impact the Competition had on her career, renowned artist and former winner, Bernadette Madden, said, it was "a wonderful childhood experience. A magical memory. Children's Art sowed a seed which encouraged me to develop my artistic talents at a very young age."

Artist Marie Connole, another past winner, is equally full of praise for the Competition saying, "I entered the Competition often during my teenage years and it was very influential in my decision to continue with art as a career."

Their memory of the Competition and of the influence which it had in helping to develop their careers in art is typical of past winners' feelings. Such warm memories mirror the regard which Kerry's Artistic community has for Samhlaiocht. And given the success of both Samhlaiocht and Texaco in promoting the love of Art in children it would be difficult to bet against Rebecca and this year's other winners having equally fond memories and maybe even equally successful careers in Art!

The exhibition of selected artwork from the 54th Texaco Children's Art Competition opens in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee on Thursday, 12th of June, and runs through to Wednesday, July 2nd. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/
For more information on the Texaco Art Competition please log onto http://www.texacochildrensart.com/

For further information about the Texaco Children's Art Competition, contact Don Hall/Maeve Barry, Hall PR on 01 660 9377 (office), 087-2552699 (mobile) or email pr@hallpr.ie.

SAMHLAIOCHT GALLERY CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS 2009

2008-05-29T04:11:00.000-07:00

Laura Gutierrez Martin, Samhlaiocht Festival Coordinator and Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht Art Gallery Coordinator.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery has issued a call for entries from Artists interested in exhibiting as part of Samhlaiocht's 2009 Gallery programme.

"As part of Samhlaiocht's ongoing collaboration with Artists we're inviting them to submit work for consideration for our 2009 Gallery programme," said Trish Thompson, Samhlaiocht's Art Gallery Co-ordinator. "The past two years have been wonderfully successful for us in terms of exhibitions. We had more exhibitions, sold more work and discovered more talent than ever before. We're hoping that 2009 will bring more of the same and that this call for entries will attract the best and brightest up and coming artists from through out Ireland, while also attracting more established artists looking for an additional outlet for their work."

The submission is open to all Artists. Applications are invited from individual artists, or groups of artists, working in any medium for inclusion in the 2009 Samhlaiocht Gallery Programme.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery first opened in July 1999 in Maine Street, Tralee. The philosophy behind the Gallery mirrors the overall philosophy of Samhlaiocht, which is to help, promote and establish up-and coming Artists, provide an outlet for more established artists and facilitate community groups working in any artistic medium.

The New Samhlaiocht Gallery is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

Applications should be submitted in writing by Friday, June 27th and should contain the following:
1. Current Biography or CV.
2. Artist's Statement (max. 400 words) & Exhibition Proposal (max. 200 words)
3. 10 - 12 high quality images of the work. Images can be submitted as digital prints, photographs, slides, or jpeg format.
4. Image list with titles, medium and dimensions clearly labeled.

Please address your applications to:
Trish Thompson, Art Gallery Coordinator, Samhlaíocht, The Old Presbytery, Lower Castle St. Tralee or email trish@samhlaiocht.com or phone 066 7129934

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

EXHIBITION OF NEW WORK BY MUIRIOSA MURPHY & SEAMUS MCDONNELL

2008-05-09T01:21:00.000-07:00

Exhibition from Up and Coming Kerry Artists to open on Thursday, May 15th

An exhibition of artwork from two up and coming Kerry artists will go on display at the new Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday, May 15th. The exhibition features work by Muiriosa Murphy and Seamus McDonnell.

Muiriosa, who hails from Rathmore originally, is a born painter, sculptor and print-maker and finds inspiration in life but also in the tactile interaction with the materials she uses. "I love the freedom and sense of discovery every time I create something," she says.

Muiriosa's sculptures have an almost iconic look to them, and would not seem entirely out of place in a museum. "Well, I think that people today may feel a sense of alienation to the world around them. It's only in the most recent times, in an evolutionary sense, that humans have surrounded themselves with masses of concrete and metal, and so they can, at times, feel alienated from their surroundings," she says.

There is a certain timelessness about her sculpture, a feeling of connectivity to history. "I think that art should cross boundaries and be relevant irrespective of culture and time," she explains, quickly adding with a laugh, "not that I've achieved that just yet!"

Seamus McDonnell, who grew up in Ballymacelligott, is quite a fan of Muiriosa's work and believes she reaches the lofty targets she sets for art. "I think her work is excellent and I'm delighted to have an opportunity to exhibit work in the same gallery."

In fact the two artists are quick to complement each other and the opportunity afforded them by Samhlaiocht. "It's fantastic to have an opportunity to show work and we're really thankful to Samhlaiocht for giving us the opportunity," said Seamus.

Seamus has been sketching and drawing all his life before suddenly taking up oil painting eight years ago. "Well, I've always been good at art, and had a very strong interest in sketching, but I had a very vivid dream about a painting and just had to create the painting and luckily it turned out well!"

In fact this personal approach and connection to art is something that both artists are quite comfortable with, "I find I use Art almost as a therapeutic exercise," says Seamus, who works in Tralee General Hospital and Muiriosa quickly agrees. "Absolutely, it goes back to what I was saying about alienation - Art helps me to make sense of what's going on inside me while also helping me make sense of what's going on with other people."

This inter-connectivity is also reflected in the titles which the artists have chosen for their exhibition; Seamus is calling his collection 'Presence', while Muiriosa's is titled 'The Other'. One would be forgiven for thinking that the Artists had been friends for a long time, though this is not quite true.

Muiriosa submitted work for Samhlaiocht's annual Salon De Chiarrai exhibition which takes place late every year, while Seamus had popped into the Samhlaiocht Gallery with a collection of works sometime before. Trish Thompson, Visual Art Coordinator with Samhlaiocht, felt that the work would complement each other and set about organizing an exhibition and then fate took a hand. The two artists bumped into each other at Killarney Rotary Club proving it's a small world after all, or at the least a small county!

"It's fantastic to see such wonderful artists come together and have such respect for one another's work," said Trish, "we're just happy that we can accommodate the artistic process in some small way."

The exhibition will run until the 6th of June in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to http://www.samhlaiocht.com/

EXHIBITION OF LANDSCAPES BY KERRY BASED ARTISTS OPENS IN THE NEW SAMHLAIOCHT GALLERY

2008-04-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

Boreens, Curteens and Cnuceens to open on Thursday, April 17th

An exhibition of artwork titled, Boreens, Curteens and Cnuceens, will go on display at the new Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday 17th April. The exhibition features work by four Kerry Based Artists, Roger Cattermole, Donal Stack, Rosemary Purcell and Antoinette O'Regan and all the work on display will focus on the beautiful Kerry landscape.

"Returning to West Kerry had been a recurring dream for me," said Antoinette O'Regan one of the four artists featured in the exhibition. "Now that my dream is realized, my surroundings are both my inspiration and an ongoing challenge." Antoinette, who was a student at Limerick College of Art has exhibited widely throughout Ireland and spent time at the prestigious Ciall Rialig Art Studios in Ballinskelligs. "The various and widely changing moods of Kerry create a romantic and intense atmosphere for the viewer," said Antoinette, an atmosphere she skillfully captures in her work.

Rosemary Purcell, winner of the Beara Arts award in 2003, lives and works in the Kenmare area of South Kerry. "I take my inspiration from the natural beauty that surrounds me," said Rosemary. "South Kerry is known for its wild and dramatic scenery, but it is its subtle changes in light and colour that influences my artwork, my work is an attempt to capture this ever changing environment."

Rosemary fully captures the rich and dramatic beauty of the South Kerry landscape and her work elicits a visceral response. "Well maybe that's because even though you can't eat the scenery but by gentle osmosis it does influence who we are," adds Rosemary. That influence is plain to see.

In contrast to the wild beauty of south Kerry landscape captured by Rosemary, Donal Stack, who graduated from Crawford Municipal College of Art in 1986, focuses on the tamer and more cultivated lasdscapes of North Kerry and, in particular, on the farmlands. "This is a landscape that has been tamed and cultivated by generations of hardworking and resourceful farming families, each leaving its mark, whether in the fields' structures, in the houses and farm buildings or in the actual animals and livestock that live on the land," said Donal.

"It is not a dramatic landscape but more a pastoral landscape. Its drama is in the detail. It is a transforming landscape; the vernacular architecture is being replaced by modern homes and hitech farm buildings. This is an inevitable process as was the replacing of stone farm buildings with corrugated iron sheds."

Roger Cattermole was born and raised in the UK. He was a student of the Harrow school of Art and has successfully exhibited throughout Ireland and England. In 1996 he relocated to County Kerry and has dedicated his time to professional painting. The move proved to be successful one as the landscape and culture of Kerry has had a profound influence on his painting and philosophical outlook. "Each landscape has its own particular and unique characteristic," said Roger, "in this work I aspire to capture the nature and mystery of the land."

All four artists through a variety of differing techniques and styles capture the indescribable beauty of Kerry. The exhibition is not only for art lovers but for everyone that has every looked at a Kerry landscape and been inspired.

The exhibition will run until the 9th of May in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery, which is located in the Old Presbytery on Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, is free to visit and all are welcome.

For more information on Samhlaiocht please log on to www.samhlaiocht.com

Artist to Exhibit in Sheen Falls Lodge

2008-04-07T08:44:00.001-07:00

Artist Richard Hearns returned home in the New Year after a two month residency and solo show in Thailand.

Since his return to his native Ireland he has taken part in a group exhibition in Dublin and is now in the midst of preparing a body of work for a long awaited second solo Exhibition in Kenmare.

The Gallery in The Sheen Falls Lodge will be hosting this body of work which will comprise both local landscapes and figurative works of all sizes. Areas that are simultaenously familiar and mysterious.

Richard's paintings feature in numerous private and public collections. He is currently represented by three very well established galleries around the country.

To view works by Richard Hearns go to http://www.richardhearns.com/blog/index.php

The exhibition in The Sheen Falls Lodge will open on June 1st and runs until July 1st.

SEISIUIN EOLAIS d'FHISEALAIONTOIRI

2008-03-12T03:49:00.000-07:00

Visual Arts Information Sessions

A Chara,

Le linn Mi Aibreain, beidh na Seisiuin Eolais seo a leanas a reachtail ag Ealain na Gaeltachta i bpairtiocht le Samhlaiocht Chiarrai agus le tacaiocht o Chomhairle Chontae Chiarrai:

Ealain na Gaeltachta in partnership with Samhlaiocht Chiarrai and supported by Kerry County Council will be running the following Arts Information Sessions during the month of April:

Coimisiuin, Damhachtain agus Sparanachtai
Commissions, Awards and Bursaries
Catriona Fallon
De Luain, 7 Aibrean, 7.30i.n.
Monday, 7th April, 7.30p.m.

Do chuid oibre a chur i lathair
Presenting your Work
Roisin McGuigan
De Luain, 14 Aibrean, 7.30i.n.
Monday, 14th April, 7.30p.m.

An Craiceann agus a Luach!
Maximising your Money!
Diarmuid O Siochru
De Luain, 21 Aibrean, 7.30i.n.
Monday, 21st April, 7.30p.m.

Ag obair le Danlanna
Working with Galleries
Ciaran Walsh
De Luain, 28 Aibrean, 7.30i.n.
Monday, 28th April, 7.30p.m.

Oifigi Udaras na Gaeltachta, Baile an Mhuilinn, An Daingean
Beidh na seisiuin seo saor in aisce. Ta spasanna teoranta, afach, agus ni mor teagmhail a dheanamh le Samhlaiocht no le hUdaras na Gaeltachta le hait a chur in airithe roimh 5:00 i.n. ar an Aoine 4u Aibrean

The sessions are free of charge. Places, however, are strictly limited so please contact Samhlaiocht or Udaras na Gaeltachta to book your place before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 4th of April
R-phost E-mail: jason@samhlaiocht.com no/or e.depaor@udaras.ie
Teil: 066 712 9934 no/or 066 915 0100

Is mise le meas,

Jason O' Mahony,
Artistic Director / Stiurthoir Ealaion,
Samhlaiocht

Eibhlin de Paor
Aisitheoir Ealaion / Arts Facilitator

Artists on Common Ground

2008-02-21T08:11:00.000-08:00

Photo Caption:
Hugh O' Neill, a student with Tralee Community College, who's work will feature in the upcoming COMMON GROUND exhibition in The Samhlaiocht Gallery.

How does one bring six artists together and yet produce a coherent exhibition? COMMON GROUND, an exhibition of work by six students from Tralee Community College, successfully achieves a coherent unity while respecting the unique voice of each of the artists. COMMON GROUND may be seen in the Samhlaiocht Gallery, which is located in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart Tralee. The exhibition opens on February 28th and runs through to March 14th.

"We wanted the exhibition to be an expression of each of our individual identities," says Sarah Kelliher, one of the exhibitors, "and while we are all products of our environment we felt it important to cover such themes as spirituality, individuality, one's state of mind and state of being."

Kristina Zebelyte, another exhibitor agrees entirely. Her work explores her spirituality, using the symbol of a cross, through the medium of densely textured paint. "The cross, for me and for millions of others around the world, is a symbol of Christianity and I felt it important to explore through painting what this most potent of symbols meant to me," says Kristina.

"While we all come from different cultural backgrounds and bring our own personality and flare to the exhibition, we are all doing an Art course in Tralee Community College, and so, quite obviously there's also a lot of common ground, which echoes the theme implicit in the title," adds Sarah. Sarah's work has a beautifully surreal quality and illustrates the concept of alternate personalities, effectively suggesting both the absence and presence of identity.

Such profound and philosophical themes run through much of the work on exhibition, Margaret O' Connell, for example, played with the idea of searching for one's soul, "I feel my work deals with a life journey - not just the physical journey but a deeper, more meaningful, spiritual one. I suppose, in essence, it's about searching for your soul." This search is clearly evident in the metaphysical images Margaret has created in mixed media which are on display in this exhibition.

Hugh O' Neill, on the other hand, places himself very firmly within his work, reflecting on the physical environment and using mundane and commonplace items such as shopping receipts and J Cloths to root his work very firmly in the present. "I went through a series of cerebral summersaults to produce this image," explains Hugh.

From the spiritual to the cerebral and on to the purely imaginative, Robert Moriarty went further to explore, "visions of the beauty and mystery of space and time." His richly textured, highly imaginative, landscape paintings convey the vastness of creation while instilling a sense of awe and wonder.

Ollie O' Sullivan uses the medium of print to examine the complexity and the inner workings of the mind. Ollie has created work that is as intriguing and quirky as it is rewarding to see. "After a lot of thinking, I drew a lot of thinking and then made a stencil of it!" says Ollie with a wickedly mysterious grin. To fully grasp Ollie's meaning, it's probably best to visit the exhibition in person.

COMMON GROUND, an exhibition by six students from Tralee Community College, will open on Thursday, 28th February, and runs through to Friday, 14th March, at the Samhlaiocht Gallery which is located in the Old Presbytery, on Lower Castle Street, in the heart Tralee. The exhibition is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, From Monday to Friday. Entry is free and all are welcome.

For more info on the PLC course please log onto http://www.ncte.ie/traleecc/art.html

Utopian Dreams

2008-01-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

Photo Caption:
Joyce McCabe and her parents at the opening of the UTOPIAN DREAMS exhibition in Samhlaiocht

An exhibition of works entitled "Utopian Dreams" by artists Joyce McCabe and Carolyn Walsh goes on display in the Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday 31st January.

"My paintings are highly influenced by my travels around Asia and my interest in dream imagery, both influences combine to create allegories of an other worldly nature," said Joyce McCabe, a native of Wexford, who has been living and working in Kerry as an Art teacher since 1991.

"Joyce's work has a strongly exotic vibe and symbolic content," said Trish Thompson, Gallery coordinator at Samhlaíocht, "anyone who gets the opportunity to view the exhibition will be left with a sense of awe at her use of imagery, and visual symbolism."

Carolyn Walsh who hails form Cahirciveen and has recently graduated from the Galway Mayo Institute with a degree in art and design and an honours degree in textile design. "The concept around my work is based on the idea of utopia," said Carolyn Walsh, "poverty in Ireland is a major part of this exhibition. The juxtaposition in our towns and cities of rich and poor areas is astonishing, so I have recorded these through the use of photography and paint, combining and almost intertwining the two together to demonstrate the physical closeness of the wealthy and poor in or societies."

"Carolyn's approach to her this work looks at how she could make these situations better," said Trish Thompson, "she has created a series of utopian visions, through the use of photography, paint and Photoshop and her work is influenced by the floral patterns of William Morris and contemporary artist Beatriz Milhazes, her work is highly original and is a stimulating response to her concept."

Salon de Chiarrai

2007-11-26T13:07:00.001-08:00

Karen Crow, Tralee; Veronica Murray, Ardfert; Eilis Griffin, Annauscaul and Muirios Murphy, Tralee who all have work featured in the Salon de Chiarrai.

Salon Style Show to Open on Thursday, November 29th in Tralee

A brand new exhibition is to open in Tralee on Thursday, November 29th in the Samhlaiocht Gallery. The exhibition is styled after the famous 18th Century French exhibitions, Salon de Paris, and is called the Salon de Chiarrai!

Artists from all over Kerry were invited to submit work for Salon de Chiarrai, and the work came flooding in from all parts of the Kingdom. Over 80 pieces of art have been selected from the submitted works and will hang all over the walls in Samhlaiocht's intimate gallery which is on Lower Castle Street in Tralee.

"We were blown away with the number of entries for our first Salon De Chiarrai show," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "We're received original paintings, drawings and etchings, large and small pieces in a whole variety of styles."

The only conditions for submissions was that all work had to be framed and ready for hanging, all work had to be for sale, and no work could have previously been exhibited at The Samhlaiocht Gallery.

"Kerry has always been known for its writers but looking at some of these pieces it's easy to imagine that in the future it'll be every bit as famous for its Artists," added O' Mahony.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery has always been at the forefront of bringing new and exciting artists to the public in Kerry and this show allows such artists an opportunity to have their work seen. Having said that, the Salon show will also feature work from many of the better known artists from Kerry including Eily Kavanagh and Michael O' Regan as well as pieces from internationally renowned artists such as Syra Larkin.

The Salon de Chiarrai has a wonderfully eclectic feeling to it, featuring everything from stunning landscapes to sketches of colourful Kerry characters such as John B. Keane. Having looked at some of the pieces, the exhibition is definitely worth a trip for art lovers while affording a perfect opportunity to pick up a unique Christmas gift that will be treasured long after the holiday season passes.

The show will open on November 29th and runs right through the Christmas period until December 21st. Opening times at the Gallery are from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday.

2007-09-01T03:23:00.000-07:00

SAMHLAIOCHT GALLERY JOINT EXHIBITION - JUDY COSTELLO & EILEEN KAVANAGH

Samhlaiocht is delighted to announce the opening of a new exhibition on Thursday 6th September at 6.00pm in its New Gallery, located in the Old Presbytery, Lower Castle Street in the heart of Tralee. The exhibition is an eponymous collection of new works by artists Judy Costello and Eileen Kavanagh and will be opened by Ms Kate Kennelly, Kerry County Council Arts Officer.

"These are the works of committed, talented and enthusiastic women," says Samhlaiocht's Visual Arts Coordinator, Trish Thompson, "it's fantastic the way they produce such original and vibrant work and we are happy that they are exhibiting with us here."

Eileen, or Eily as she is also known, is from the Dingle peninsula. She is a self taught artist reared on a farm that was sandwiched between the Connor Pass and Lios Dorgan, a mountain named after her mother's immediate ancestors.

The middle of five children, Eileen Kavanagh is a ciotog (left-handed, sometimes considered bad luck!). According to Eileen she didn't play up or play down much but instead formed an early bond with matters of the sky and sea.

She also paints scenes of rural dwellings.

"Eileen's Town Views," says Trish, "have an air of tranquillity and simplicity about them. You meet the occasional person here and there. There is an earthy tone despite the concrete, yet we sense an intense feeling of atmosphere."

Limerick born artist Judy Costello discovered "the artist within" since her move to the beautiful mountain landscape of Tonevane, near Blennerville.

"My subject matter varies from the ordinary to the extraordinary," says Judy, "and to me the common place is equally as inspiring as the exotic. I am inspired by the sea and the natural world. I am also influenced by the delicacy of the materials that I use, so that my work is primarily an exploration and celebration of colour."

This joint exhibition will be formally launched by Kerry County Council's Arts Officer Ms Kate Kennelly. All are welcome.

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2007-07-27T05:03:00.001-07:00

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2007-07-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

'A SENSE OF PLACE' EXHIBITION OPENING IN THE NEW SAMHLAIOCHT GALLERY ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 3RD

An exhibition of Work by Kerry Based Artist, Martyn Bell, captures the beauty of the Kingdom of Kerry

An exhibition of work entitled 'A Sense of Place' by artist Martyn Bell goes on display in the new Samhlaíocht Gallery on Friday, August 3rd. The collection of watercolours by Martyn demonstrates the empathy and appreciation which he feels for his adopted homeland of Kerry.

"We're absolutely delighted to have Martyn opening an exhibition at the Samhlaiocht Art Gallery," said Jason O'Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "His paintings tell the tale of Kerry and show the magic of this most beautiful county."

"I've titled this exhibition A Sense of Place because the paintings are a record of places or impressions of places that have filled my visual memory," explains Martyn. "The paintings capture small fragments or glimpses of Kerry and my emotional response to my chosen home."

"It's wonderful to see our County inspire an artist like Martyn," added Trish Thompson, Curator of the Samhlaiocht Gallery. "His paintings really capture the essence of Kerry, I think people will really enjoy his work."

The Samhlaiocht Gallery is located in the old Presbytery next to St. John's Parish Church in the centre of Tralee on Lower Castle Street. 'A Sense of Place' opens on Friday, August 3rd at 7.30 pm.

2007-06-20T03:14:00.000-07:00

HIS EXCELLENCY MR. NOEL CARRILLO, CUBAN AMBASSADOR TO IRELAND, TO OPEN EXHIBITION AT SAMHLAIOCHT

An exhibition of Work by Kerry Based Artist and Musician, Karolien Verheyen, Brings the Beauty of Cuba to Kerry

An exhibition of work entitled 'In search of Music…Cuba' by Kerry based artist, Karolien Verheyen, goes on display in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery on Wednesday, 27th of June. The collection of photographs and a short film / slide show by the Belgian born artist demonstrates the remarkable empathy and appreciation which she feels for the people, places and culture of Cuba.

"It's fantastic to have Karolien exhibiting here. She has such is a wonderful talent and has amazing ability to capture life in her photographs," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "Her work vividly captures the beauty of Cuba and having looked at them you want to visit Cuba. It's also an honour and a privilege to have His Excellency, Mr. Noel Carrillo, Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, open the exhibition."

Karolien is a percussionist whose love for Cuban music brought her to the island on an exploratory mission to meet Afro Cuban musicians and to learn from the Masters on their home ground.

"My reason for going to Cuba was primarily music driven," explains Karolien, "hence the title In Search of Music Cuba. But while I was there I fell in love with all of Cuban culture and so decided to document my travels with photographs as well as with recordings of the music."

Such is the understanding and compassion that Karolien has for the country, His Excellency, Mr. Noel Carrillo, Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, has agreed to open the exhibition of photographs, a short film and slide show accompanied by live music recordings by Cuban musicians which Karolien made while in Cuba.

2007-05-25T03:14:00.000-07:00

ART GROUP TO EXHIBIT AT SAMHLAIOCHT ART GALLERY FROM THURSDAY 31st MAY to FRIDAY 29th JUNE 07

An exhibition of work entitled 'DIFFERENT STROKES' by a relatively new Tralee based Art Group goes on display in the new Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday 31st May.

"We're absolutely delighted to have the members of the art group displaying their work at our Gallery," said Trish Thompson, Gallery coordinator at the Samhlaiocht Gallery.

"This exhibition came out of a need to allow such groups the opportunity to exhibit their work in the public arena and Samhlaíocht wants to encourage all avenues of the arts in Kerry."

This Group exhibition is led by Tutor Deirdre Sheehan, who holds a B.A. in Painting from N.C.A.D. and a H.dip in Art and Design Ed.

"Since my student years at N.C.A.D. my favorite branch of research has always been the relationship between art and the mind," says Deirdre, "I particularly like the ideas of artists who explored this relationship, like Kandinsky and his books on how line and colour relate to music, or Rudolf Steiner, the psychologist, educationalist and artist who developed entire school systems where children learn their normal subjects through art, music and dance in a very therapeutic environment."

Deirdre spent many years teaching in various places, including Africa, and began teaching this group two years ago in Tralee.

"We began by drawing from nature and exploring colour harmonies, colour related to music and the emotional content of colour. My interest lies in the emotional response to the work during the process and as a finished piece, from the artist and spectator."

Deirdre likes to encourage painting in a relaxed environment and uses classical music during the class.

"It became clear early on that the students had no problems expressing themselves in very original ways, showing different tastes and styles so I try to encourage this. I encourage them to think of using the natural environment and imagination as a source of inspiration as well as looking at the way old and new masters have used paint technically. They are now beginning to feel more confident with paint so I hope each student will continue to explore personal subject matter whether to do with nature, people, or other ideas."

"The supportive environment of the studio combined with the gentle yet firm direction of our teacher nurtures the muse in each of us," said Geraldine Quirke one of the group members. "Humour and unity are the main catalysts of our group, each of us having our own unique style and supporting one another in pursuit of our different strokes."

The Samhlaiocht Gallery is located in the old Presbytery next to St. John's Parish Church in the centre of Tralee on Lower Castle Street. 'Different Strokes' opens on Thursday 31st May at 7.30pm

2007-03-01T03:08:00.000-08:00

PLC STUDENTS FROM TRALEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO OPEN ART EXHIBITION AT SAMHLAIOCHT ART GALLERY

Exhibition opens on Thursday, March 8th runs to Friday, March 30th

What does freedom mean to you? What creates a person's identity? To look at some possible answers to these questions visit the "Imprint" art exhibition at the New Samhlaiocht Gallery on Thursday 8th March. Imprint is an exhibition of the work of eight artists who are students of the Art, Craft and Design course in Tralee Community College.

"The exhibition is divided into two main sections dealing with the themes of identity and freedom. The interpretations of the themes and style of work are as diverse as the students themselves," said Mary Kirby the class tutor.

The Samhlaiocht Gallery is at the forefront of bringing new and exciting artists to the public in Kerry and supporting their progress throughout the development stage.

"Over the past number of years work by the PLC students has featured not only in our Gallery but also in our Samhlaíocht Easter Carnival," said Trish Thompson, Gallery Coordinator of Samhlaíocht. "We are delighted to give the students the opportunity to have a public exhibition of their work. Taking art work into the public domain is a big step and Samhlaíocht's aim is to support the students through this process."

The seven contributing artists are:
Fiona Ladden's abstract images examine the natural world and how each form creates it own identity. Fiona is already an experienced artist and exhibitor with Samhlaiocht.

Paola Kennedy studies her relationship with her Peruvian birthplace and her new homeland Ireland.

Ewa Miszczaks photomontages ask the question when identity is formed.

Katie Forrester's mixed media pieces also look at the genetic imprint and the effect of environment on identity.

Helen Dineen's painting studies freedom and seeks to find escape from life's issues in her dreams.

Time and living by the clock is an issue for Rochelle Lucey, her Dali inspired paintings are semi abstract and expressive.

Finally we end on a positive note with Geraldine Guinan who finds her freedom and peace of mind in the rhythms of the sea and the vastness of the ocean.

2007-01-01T03:04:00.000-08:00

MICHAEL V. O REAGAN TO EXHIBIT AT SAMHLAIOCHT ART GALLERY ON THURSDAY 8TH FEBRUARY

Kerry Native O' Reagan's Art Demonstrates Empathy and Appreciation For The Beautiful Kerry Countryside

Tralee - An exhibition of work entitled 'About Time' by artist Michael O' Regan goes on display in the new Samhlaíocht Gallery on Thursday 8th February. The collection of paintings and sketches by Tralee born artist Michael V. O' Regan demonstrates the empathy and appreciation which he feels for the woodlands and countryside of his native Kerry.

"We're absolutely delighted to have an artist of Michael's talent and ability opening an exhibition at the Samhlaiocht Art Gallery," said Jason O' Mahony, Artistic Director of Samhlaiocht. "His paintings and sketches vividly capture the indescribable beauty of Kerry and you're left with a sense of awe having looked at them."

Michael is self taught and has been painting part time for many years. Demand for his work is such that he has recently begun working as a full time artist. The diversity and vibrancy in the natural beauty of the Kerry woodlands are a constant source of inspiration. Michael's preferred medium for his painting is oils and he also works in pen and pencil. His detailed sketches of old farm buildings and their environs record a traditional way of life which will soon be just a memory.

"I have entitled this exhibition 'About Time' because many of the paintings and sketches in it evoke a way of life for which I feel a great empathy and which I want to record in my work," said Michael, a native of Rock Street in Tralee. "The title also reflects the fact that I have now decided to apply myself full time to my art. I'm thankful to Samhlaiocht for giving me this great opportunity to put on a solo exhibition of my work."

"It's wonderful to have an artist of Michael's stature coming to the Samhlaiocht Gallery," added Trish Thompson, Curator Samhlaiocht Gallery, "this is our first exhibition in our new gallery and when I saw Michael's work I just fell in love with it and had to bring him to Samhlaiocht."

The Samhlaiocht Gallery is located in the old Presbytery next to St. John's Parish Church in the centre of Tralee on Lower Castle Street. 'About Time' opens on Thursday 8th February at 7.00pm

Opening times at the Gallery are Mon to Thurs 9.00am to 6.00pm and Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. Everyone is welcome.