Market House hosts Stephen’s first local exhibit
GOREY artist Stephen Nolan is getting set to hold his first solo exhibition in his home town this week.
‘12 Common Life Mistakes’ will run in the upstairs chamber of the Market House on Main Street for two weeks. It launches at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, and all are welcome. It then runs Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12 midday to 4 p.m.
The 39-year-old from Clonattin is currently the Paul Funge artist in residence at Gorey School of Art. The residency was set up by Paul Carter, director of Gorey School of Art, to support artists’ careers by providing a 24 hour studio, with the support of the school.
Stephen studied art with Eamon Carter at Gorey Community School, and later went on to complete the degree course at Gorey School of Art, graduating in 2008. He has exhibited at various locations across the country, primarily around north Dublin and Drogheda, but until now, he has never held a solo show in Gorey.
Stephen said he works mainly in oil, painting landscapes and townscapes, and he estimates that approximately half of the works that will feature in the exhibit will relate to his home county.
He said the residency has been a great help, and he was delighted when Conor McDonald of the Gorey Town District Park arts initiative approached him about putting together an exhibit.
‘Stephen deals with the urban landscape, in Gorey which is constantly in flux,’ said Conor. ‘He has worked on some of the pieces for over three years. Nearly all are works in progress. They’re mixed media layered on top of each other.’ He added that Stephen’s knowledge of architecture is ‘phenomenal.’
‘Stephen’s work is almost that of a performance artist in his process,’ he commented. ‘Notebooks fill his studio, documenting what to some might seem the most banal, mundane, everyday activities and observances.’
‘However, it is these moments of awareness that Stephen Nolan brings to his paintings,’ he continued, ‘allowing the viewer in, only to twist our perception, so we can see familiar surroundings, buildings and people anew once more.’