VISIT THIS COLOURFUL PRESENTATION
COLOUR and creativity now greets you at ever turn in Enniscorthy’s Presentation Centre as the third annual Open Call Art Exhibition now proudly adorns the walls there. The exhibition has gone from strength to strength over the years and Visual Arts Manager at the Presentation Centre, Lisa Byrne, commented on the high quality of the work submitted this year, with entries coming in from 65 artists from all over the county and country.
While it has become somewhat of a cliché when it comes to this type of exhibition, there really is something to pique the interest of all types of art lovers. There were some amazingly intricate landscapes, such as Martin Kirwan’s ‘Autumn on Borodale’ and ‘Cots on the Slaney’ which won him a Judge’s Selection Prize. Also in this vein, ‘Surprise’ by Hannah Colclough really caught the eye. The winner of the Best Overall from the exhibition was Rebecca Homfray’s ‘The Thief ’ which depicted a Magpie raiding a nest for eggs.
One really creative 3D piece which caught the eye the second you walked into the lobby was Michelle Colfer’s ‘Surging’ which consisted of intricately folded bird-like paper in beautiful colours hanging in front of a white background. The piece one her a prize for Most Creative and really needs to be seen to be believed. Rebecca Walsh won a prize for Best Use of Materials for her colourful piece ‘Pink Storm’, while Sheila MacNally also scooped a Judge’s Prize for her ‘Lazy Days’.
Also particularly colourful, eye-catching and just a little bit bizarre were the works of Larry Dunne, particularly ‘Madonna’ which had an unsettling quality to it.
Cllr John O’Rourke had the honour of officially launching the exhibition and he congratulated Lisa and everyone at the centre on curating such a wonderfully varied exhibition and a great collection. He said that events like this provide a great opportunity for local artists of all levels to get their work out there and seen by the public and urged anyone passing the Presentation Centre to drop in for a look before it finishes on June 4.
(By Pádraig Byrne)