Timelessness and stillness from

Catriona O'Connor at the Limerick Hunt Museum,

October 20-November 13, 2005

Catriona O'Connor, Brenda Andrews and Maurice Quillinan present an exhibition of their work in Limerick's Hunt Museum. The show will be officially opened by Dr Ed Walsh, President Emeritus, University of Limerick.

Catriona O'Connor was born in Killarney and studied at NCAD, Dublin and the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence and the Istituto Statale D'Arte in Urbino, Italy. She has exhibited in EVA and Oireachtas as well as arts festivals such as Beara and Smaointe na Sceilge and contemporary galleries such as the Lavit Gallery Cork and the Kennedy Gallery Dublin. Her work has also been exhibited in London, Padova and Milan, Italy and Tahlinn, Estonia. She is also well known for the Ballycasey House Gallery near Shannon that she established and managed in the late eighties. She lives and paints from her studio in Dovea, Tipperary.

In this show, O'Connor presents an exhibition of acrylics, watercolours and works on paper. Change and transformation is the connecting theme across this body of work. Unique places and spaces depicted in 'Empty Stage' and 'Gable Shrine' hang beside paintings of nature's evolution in 'On the Edge' (see below for more information on each theme).

O'Connor uses earth colours - umbers and siennas and deep blue indigos. She paints translucent washes and works in layers almost in an archaeological sense. "With colour and light I try to achieve a strength and energy in watercolour," says O’Connor.

O'Connor has worked closely with poets such as Paddy Bushe and this is evident in many works in this show. "Inspired by poetry," says O’Connor, "I try to strip an idea down to the bone."

Themes:

'On the Edge'

A dark mass presses down on a fragile shell. Will it be crushed or is it in fact holding these forces apart?

'Empty Stage'

A metaphor for life, of stories to unfold, is based on an early recollection. I remember as a child in Killarney the anticipation and excitement of the annual drama festival. Late one afternoon I found myself alone in the Hall. I walked up onto the stage and it was shadowy and quite scary but exciting to feel that later a whole world would unfold in the drama that night. A sense of stillness.

'Gable Shrine'

A gable shrine in a valley in South West Kerry containing quartz stone and scalloped shells – the symbol of the pilgrim. I felt an overwhelming sensation of the timelessness of the place.

The exhibition is open daily from 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday and 2pm-5pm on Sundays. More information on www.catrionaoconnor.com and www.huntmuseum.com

ENDS.