Twin towns’ great outdoors
WEXFORD’S twin towns of Coueron in France and Annapolis in Maryland in the US are the destinations for local artists travelling abroad for Plein Air painting events in the great outdoors.
Mayglass artist Kevin Freeney headed off to Coueron last weekend accompanied by fellow artists Jim Doolan and David Goldberg, all members of the South East Plein Air association, to take part in ‘Couleurs de Bretagne’, a painting competition held in the West of France every year.
Kevin is no stranger to France, having lived there for a number of years, and he also visited Coueron on a painting trip in 2012 as part of a cultural exchange organised by Jackie Menard (née Byrne), a native of Wexford living in the French twin town whose husband is a local council official.
The artistic trio attended a civic reception on Friday night, followed by dinner with their host families and spent Saturday taking part in the outdoor painting festival which focused on historic areas of Coueron. Sunday was also devoted to open air painting.
Another two members of South East Plein Air, Paul Maloney and Tony Robinson, have been invited to take part in ‘Paint Annapolis’ a Plein Air competition in Maryland in early June.
The well-travelled pair, who team up for annual painting expeditions abroad, are among a number of international artists selected to participate in the American event which offers $15,000 in prize money. Tony is the proprietor of Spectrum art shop and gallery in Selskar and a chief organiser and founder of Wexford’s Plein Air Festival, while Paul is the owner of Paul Maloney Pottery and Art Gallery in Ballindinas, Barntown.
The port city of Annapolis has strong connections with Wexford, being associated with Wexfordman John Barry, founder of the US Navy, and artists from Annapolis have taken part in Wexford’s Art in the Open event.