Joan Walsh &
Mary McCaffrey

Solas Gallery Ballinamore welcomes a coming together of divergent diasporas in these two solo shows.

Joan Walsh is from Dublin, and lived in Ballinamore for 10 years. This is Joan’s 8th solo art exhibition; two of which were hosted by the Dublin Writers' Museum titled 'Visual Voice’. Joan’s  3rd solo exhibition at Solas Art Gallery is titled “All About Buildings” and follows her observations of the townscape of Ballinamore from 2015 onwards. She was drawn to really observe and take note, on a daily basis, the lines, angles, shades, shadows and shapes that the townscape of Ballinamore made. Due to Ballinamore's hilly topography, the buildings and roofs make wonderful shapes and angles.

She noted, how the movement of the sun and changing skies affected the building surfaces and structures throughout the day, and how structural patterns, angles, lines, random geometric shapes, blocks of colour, hues and shades would exist at any given view point, regardless of weather. Joan has been measuring, surveying, drawing up, sketching buildings and squinting at their angles, shapes, inside and out since the early 1980's. She was trained in Interior & Architectural Design for commercial properties, Fundamental Design, Fabric and Furniture Design.
 

Mary McCaffrey is originally from Bornacoola, Co. Leitrim but now lives and works in Belfast. Mary has exhibited both nationally and internationally, but this will be her first show at Leitrim’s own Solas Art Gallery. Among her many achievements Mary won the inaugural ‘Art of Nurture’ competition at the Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery in 2007, a competition open to all third level students throughout Ireland. Her inspiration for this show continues the theme of nurture through the interaction between herself and her son Sean whose journey through life influences Mary’s work. Mary endeavours to catch the moment, however fleeting, and describe the transience of life through her painting.
 

The two artists will have their shows opened on Friday 2nd of June at 7.30pm by artist and art activist Noelle McAlinden, whose career is steeped in education, arts and culture. Noelle is a member of the Education Authority and also of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Opening Night