An exhibition of my figure paintings at Shorelines Arts Festival 2022

It was a great honour for me to have an exhibition of my figure paintings mounted at the Shorelines Arts Festival 2022. The festival (which has been running in Portumna since 2012) takes place every September, involving both local and internationally renowned artists in music, literature and visual culture.

Portumna is a market town in Co. Galway on the banks of Lough Derg, one of Ireland’s largest lakes. Noted for its Castle, Abbey, Workhouse Museum and Forest Park, it is a paradise for enthusiasts of water sports, trail walking and other activities.

The visual arts element of the festival is showcased in the Irish Workhouse Centre, a museum and exhibition space which was originally a workhouse; a prisonlike institution set up during Famine times to provide the destitute with basic care in exchange for their labour. The room in which my paintings hung was originally the women’s dormitory. Although a fine exhibition space, the building is largely unmodified and still evokes hard times and the suffering of its inmates.

This year the exhibition ran from September 4th to 18th with the festival proper taking place over the last four days. As one of the festival events I did a live portrait painting of acclaimed Irish author Donal Ryan, with an amazingly attentive audience for the whole two hours. We had a bit of fun and I think everyone enjoyed it.

You can see a timelapse of the process here:

Thanks to all who travelled to see the exhibition and portrait demo, to Donal Ryan for sitting and to everyone in Portumna for the warm welcome!