We thought we might start a little pre-opening tradition of giving an on-site preview of each new exhibitions just before it opens. What better exhibition to start with than "Aspects" a double solo show featuring Brian Bourke and Jay Murphy which opens at 6pm this evening April 6th 2017.
There's a feeling of completion, of a new exhibition settling into itself the morning before the opening. It's a particularly nice time for us working here as our environment has been completely transformed by each new show. Of course there's a few bits and pieces to be done - you can see the label tags waiting to be finalised in these pictures - but the space is truly ready and waiting for its all important first visitors.
The exhibition spans all three rooms of the gallery with over 40 oil paintings and also drawings in pastels. It's an exhibition where you can get truly immersed in the conversation between the styles of the two artists, with works often focused on differing aspects of the same landscape. The front room features Connemara landscapes by Brian.
The central gallery offers a series by Jay of twelve stone bridges along the canal between the Erne and Shannon. Paintings from her travels in Crete and Agadir contrast with a group of pastels on paper from her Wexford series.
The artists share the third room of the gallery where they both exhibit paintings from their recent residency in Rathnure, Co Wexford.
We're really looking forward to tonight. Legendary Irish musician Frankie Gavin will officially open the exhibition, so it might well be the case there will be a bit of music to go with the proceedings.
