The Sea, The Sea. Rachel Martin opening at Hamilton Gallery

It was a stunning celebration on so many different levels.

A gifted Sligo artist opening her first solo show; a celebration of a new artists unique voice, one formed and shaped by Sligo’s maritime environment; an exquisite collection of masterful collagraph, cyanotype and aquatint print works; a communal recognition of artistic accomplishment and celebration of a powerful new and evocative creative voice…and so much more.

Martin, Rachel - The Metal Man' Edition of 5 Framed Material: Cyanotype on BFK paper Framed/ UV protected, non-reflective glass Dimensions: 51 × 31cm Year: 2026

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Rachel and Dylan with their parents David and Alaine

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Martin, Rachel - A Sight to Sea' Edition of 5 Framed Material: Cyanotype on BFK paper Framed/ UV protected, non-reflective glass Dimensions: 19 × 29cm Year: 2026

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The Sea, The Sea, an exhibition of print work's by Rachel Martin opened to a packed-out Hamilton Gallery on Saturday afternoon. This is the Sligo artists first solo show having graduated from TUS Limerick College of Art and Design last year.

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The Sea, The Sea runs at Hamilton Gallery until February 28th.

Be sure not to miss it.

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Winter Gathering group exhibition opens at Hamilton Gallery.

WINTER GATHERING, INVITED ARTISTS GROUP EXHIBITION OPENING

Thursday Nov 27th 2025

Hamilton Gallery's annual " Winter Gathering" brings you a festive celebration of work from over 22 invited artists. Following on from Clive Bright’s exhibition Hamilton Gallery had its last opening of a successful year. Last Thursdays opening of Winter Gathering group exhibition brings together another collection of artwork by artists from around the country and here in Sligo. This year’s Winter Gathering includes Daniel Chester, Mags Duffy, Joe Dunne, Catherine Fanning, Josephine Geaney, Medbh Gillard, Julianne Guinee, Martina Hamilton, Eileen Healy, Stephanie Hess, Kaye Maahs, Marilin North, Donncadh O’Callaghan, Cormac O’Leary, Kate Oram, Pat Owen, Rae Perry, Karen Webster, and Manon West.

Being our last opening of the year, this exhibition continues until January 31st 2026. A perfect round off to a great year.

Photos from ‘Winter Gathering’ exhibition opening by Carl Brennan

Elemental, New Paintings by Clive Bright opens at Hamilton Gallery.

Powerful artistic expression and a profound sense of care and concern for nature and local environment are woven together in the exquisite exhibition “Elemental” New Paintings by Clive Bright, which opened at Hamilton Gallery on Thursday evening.

Clive Bright lives and farms on his family farm in south county Sligo. An organic farmer under his brand Rare Ruminare, he rears 100% pasture-fed beef and lamb on his 120-acre farm. An ambassador for Farming For Nature, Clive employs the ideas of Permaculture and Holistic Management to run the farm as an ecosystem in which, the livestock are just one part. He sees his role as managing the animals, so they maintain a balance within their niche. "Where nature thrives is a good place for a cow to live – it's that simple" he says.

But Clive is also one of the most impactful and highly regarded visual artists living and working in the region, and his highly anticipated 1st solo show in 8 years, opened for a packed audience at Hamilton Gallery on Thursday evening (Oct 30th).

Clive’s ecological concerns are front and centre in the exquisitely rendered body of paintings that make up “Elemental”. The exhibition explores ecological fundamentals—the power and beauty of nature's diversity, and the fragile folly of the human desire to simplify it. Mans ideas, and designs for nature litter his paintings; powerful and haunting evocations of rusted tools and other abandoned human detritus, which nature constantly overcomes and subsumes. The presence of the harlequin, as clown like costume flows through the paintings, as sky, as background, as texture, contrasting the constraints and designs human beings place upon nature with natures heedless continuance and course, above and around those intentions.

The exhibition is a stunning and unique mediation from an exceptional artist who lives and works in and with nature every day.

Elemental continues at Hamilton Gallery until November 22nd and is a must see.

Once Removed by Leonora Neary launches winter programme at Hamilton Gallery

Solo shows by Leonora Neary and Clive Bright for October & November then Winter Gathering – 19 invited Artists - in December sees out ambitious year of achievements for Sligo gallery.

The October 2nd opening of” Once Removed”, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Sligo based artist Leonora Neary, commenced the final quarter of a uniquely ambitious year for Hamilton Gallery. The exhibition closes on Saturday October 25th.

This exhibition combines themes of home, memory, and identity with a little existential pondering. Taking a sidewards, backwards, and occasional forward glance, artist, Leonora Neary reflects on these universal themes through the prism of her own life.

Originally from Roscommon and now based in South Sligo, Leonora Neary’s work focuses on the emotional and ethereal planes of landscape. Primarily a visual artist, in recent years her work has expanded to encompass music, sound and moving image. In Once Removed Leonora explores themes of home, memory, and identity through the prism of the artist’s own life. ‘The parallel and the peripheral aspects of life hold particular interest for me - the unseen, the remembered, the imagined aspects of landscape, experience and place.’ This new work also re-introduces the figure into her work, something that she has welcomed: ‘I’ve always been drawn to figurative work but felt the need to move away from it for a while; perhaps it felt too personal, too intimate. This body of work focuses on family and on memory, and it felt like the right time to reconnect with the figure.’

Opening photos from Leonora Neary’s exhibition ‘Once Removed’ by Carl Brennan

Elemental, New Paintings by Clive Bright follows Once Removed, opening on Oct 30th.

Clive Bright is an artist who lives on his family farm in south county Sligo.  He works principally with oil paint but drawing & line play a constant and major role in his work. His way of life on the farm, and his painting complement one another perfectly and it is from his personal connection with the farm that he draws much of his inspiration. Bright’s paintings have a universal narrative. Through absence, and a powerful use of inanimate objects as his subjects, Bright creates a compelling sense of human presence, which in turn personifies the objects. His deep understanding and appreciation of his subject evokes powerful sentiments communicating more than just a visually pleasing experience.

Annual “Winter Gathering” featuring 19 Artists opens Nov 27th.

Following on from Clive Bright, “Winter Gathering,” opening on November 27th, includes a selection of work by 19 invited artists this year. The invited artists’ exhibition has become a signature event in the gallery calendar providing a seasonal celebration for artists and art lovers.  This year’s Winter Gathering includes Daniel Chester, Mags Duffy, Joe Dunne, Catherine Fanning, Josephine Geaney, Medbh Gillard, Julianne Guinee, Martina Hamilton, Eileen Healy, Stephanie Hess, Kaye Maahs, Marilin North, Donncadh O’Callaghan, Cormac O’Leary, Kate Oram, Pat Owen, Rae Perry, Karen Webster, and Manon West.

So, in brief, 2025 will close off with “Once Removed” by Leonora, “Elemental” new paintings by Clive Bright in November and in December the 9th iteration of Winter Gathering, the seasonally popular and ideally timed celebration of fine art by invited artists fulfils the Hamilton Gallery programme for 2025.

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A look back over 2025 so far

2025 commenced with “Bloodroot”, featuring work by 125 women artists themed around the poetry of Donegal poet Annemarie Ní Chuirréain, which opened at the world famous Pulchri Studio Gallery in The Hague, The Netherlands. The poignant and powerful exhibition was organised in partnership with Embassy of Ireland, The Netherlands as part of Ireland’s global Lá Fhéile Bríde celebrations, that has seen Hamilton Gallery produce similar events in London, Berlin, New York and Dublin as well as Bejing, Chongquing and Cheng Du in China, in recent years.

The 2025 programme also celebrated the legacy of renowned sculptor Fred Conlon, 25 years on from his passing in February; saw the gallery host Cairde Visual in June for the 5th time, as well as  stunning solo exhibitions from Conor Walton, Charles Harper (Aosdana), N J Alphonsus, Conor Gallagher, David Smith and  Jackie Hudson Lalor.  

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