The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
NEWMARKET-on-Fergus-based painter Philip Brennan is to present one of his paintings to another distinguished Newmarket-on-Fergus man next week, which may lead to the painting going on display at Áras an Uachtaráin.
As well as having one of his paintings presented to President Michael D Higgins during his forthcoming visit to Clare, Philip Brennan will follow up his participation in the Florence Biennale Art Festival in Italy last December with two exhibitions in Clare this summer.
The first of these shows, entitled From Loop Head to Valentia, features a collection of paintings inspired by the west coast, particularly that of the Loop Head peninsula, where Philip has painted and followed his interest in bird migration since the early 1980s. The exhibition also includes work from other parts of West Clare and from the neighbouring coasts of Kerry and Galway.
This exhibition will be on display in Kilkee, where it will be launched at the Culturlann Sweeney Theatre Gallery on Tuesday at 6pm and all are invited to attend.
Philip is also holding a Meet the Artist evening on Wednesday, June 27 at 6.15pm, when he will tell the stories behind the paintings. With two books of paintings and stories and a CD of songs completed over the last 10 years, there will be plenty to discuss and it may even lead to a few renditions of a song or two.
Philip’s second summer show takes place in August at the Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, where he shares the bill with Dublin artist Cliona Fox.
