The Nine Stones Artists

The valley I live in by Mt. Leinster in Co. Carlow is full of artists!! We have joined together to exhibit occasionally and we are known as the “Nine Stone Artists”. We had an exhibition at the Norman Gallery from 27th June to 12th July 2009. It was a great show, 10 of us exhibited with a wide variety of work including painting, sculpture (stone and metal), felt and film installation.

The artists are: Annabel Konig, Nicola Brown, Michelle Byrne, Cathy Fitzgerald, Remco de Fouw, Rachel Joynt,  Anthony Lyttle, Martin Lyttle, Jules Michael and Gwen Wilkinson.

Thanks to Jeremy Hill for having us, Annabel for making it happen, Gwen and Michelle for the  invites and posters.

 

Eigse Carlow Arts Festival

I entered two pieces (Large Parika and Wing) for the Eigse Carlow Arts festival, one was selected for the Open Show and one the Local artists section. The festival ran from the 13th to 21st June 2009.

I was also involve with a group of local Carlow artists called “Blueprint” and we exhibited during the Festival as a fringe event. I exhibited my maquette for the Shamrock Plaza art commission and Torso.

Brandon Mclane, Steven Myndhardt, Mary Cullen, Tom Cranny, Darren Caffrey, Julie Ward, Lynda Phelan, Martin Lyttle, Marie Cumisky and Nicola Brown.

 

Thanks to Mary and Brandon for organising and being the driving force for the show.

 

Shamrock Plaza Carlow Commission

The Shamrock plaza is a new building which has replaced what was known as Doyles of the Shamrock hardware, located at the main cross roads of the Dublin/Kilkenny road and Tullow street.

Monaco Properties (who developed the new building) invited submissions for a work(s) of art for the space in front of the new building.  I submitted a proposal and to my surprize I’ve been shortlisted. 5 out 38 submissions were shortlisted.  I think there was alot more competition for this commission compared to the cherryorchard commission. So I’m very pleased with myself.

My proposed piece is paying homage to granite, its geology and how it has shaped the landscape of Carlow, its remarkable qualities as a building stone and to the people who won the stone from the county’s earth, either from small quarries or more commonly in Carlow, from large boulders strewn across the county. These granite boulders were cleaved (split) into rough regular shapes and dimensions by stone cleavers, the granite was dressed by stonecutters and the stone masons would undertake the building work.

The piece entitled “Cleaved” will essentially be composed of an imposing large granite boulder which has come from the fields of Carlow. The boulder will be cleaved (split) and marked with lines of holes, emanating light.

I now have to work out the details of the piece for the 2nd stage of the submission, which will keep me busy for the next few weeks.