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 yearm 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 fulfills the Hamilton Gallery programme for 2025.
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.
