Helena O’Connor at Solas Art Gallery August 2020.

Announcing our first solo exhibition since the lockdown, Solas Art Gallery is delighted to welcome Helena O’Connor to Ballinamore. The exhibition will open on Friday 28th August at 7:30pm by the artist herself. Pre-booking of attendance necessary at 071 9644210. The show will continue until September 19th.

Possibilities by Helena O’Connor.

Helena graduated from the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Art & Design. Combining traditional arts with multi-disciplined influences garnered from a range of workshops including printmaking and sign-writing Helena has consolidated her style into the fabulous world of Abstract Painting. Here, she says, she does not need to confine herself to themes, surfaces or medium thereby allowing herself a freedom to paint unencumbered by preconceived ideas. Rather, she paints allowing the colour or shape to guide her to the next step of the work.

Helena cites Matisse, Picasso, Miro and Hofmann as inspiration in her use of colour. As a dedicated abstract artist, she prefers not to label her paintings because by doing so she feels the viewer might be influenced to interpret the work from the artists perspective.

Abstract art has its foundations in the emotional and environmental influence of the artist and in Helena’s case the organic-ness of the work will leave the viewers quest to search out meaning easily sated. But we will leave the mysteries inherent in Helena’s work to you, the public, to unravel and enjoy.

While Solas Art Gallery is at the best of times a haven of tranquillity, we are advising patrons to adhere to social distancing guidelines and in the case of groups of up to four people to please ring the gallery beforehand on 071 9644210 to confirm.