The Boyle Arts Festival, now in it's 28th year, takes place every summer with the main visual arts exhibition housed in the splendid setting of King House. "Facing West" is the centre piece of the festival, featuring over a hundred established and emerging artists who presented works in various media including painting, drawing, sculpture, textile, ceramics and photography.
The exhibition has been curated by Paul McKenna and was officially opened on Thursday 20th July at 8pm in King House by Heather Humphreys, Minister for Culture
Earlier in the year, Donagh was approached to submit work for 'Facing West' exhibition and 'Refuge, Epoch ll' was subsequently selected. It is one in a series of three from Donagh's wider Epoch series, inspired by the 6th Century hermitage on Skellig Michael. Specifically, the openings of the stone bee hive dwellings in which the monks sought sanctuary from the hardship of their lives and the weather on the tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean, 12 miles off the Kerry coast.
Among the exhibiting artists included are Hughie O’Donoghue, Katherine Boucher Beug, Tom Climent, Eilis O'Connell and John Shinnors. Donagh was delighted to learn that Karen Hendy with whom he had previously shared a studio, was also an invited artist.
The exhibition continues until Friday 18th August and the gallery is open daily from 11am to 6pm.
For more information about the Boyle Arts Festival click here.
'Facing West' exhibition in King House
Donagh's painting Refuge, Epoch ll in situ
Refuge, Epoch ll oil on canvas