After what seemed like a lifetime roaming the world, I returned to my native Brosna shores in 2016.
By Mairead Moriarty
It’s been a joy slipping back into a way of life that moves at a slower pace. Also, being able to closely observe the subtle changes of the seasons, as nature unfolds in its own mysterious pattern, has been the daily reward for weighing anchor in Carrigeen.
Creative Space
Perhaps it’s a combination of all of these wonderful aspects to life here that has been the driver to entice so many artists to our remote community.
Every week I learn of another creative living and working in Brosna. Some of our artistic talent is homegrown but others have chosen this parish as a place of inspiration and quiet in which to let the muse speak to them.
Brosna – An Artist Enclave
With so many artists in our community, we might be considered Ireland’s answer to Saint-Paul de Vence, the famous artist enclave in the South of France. Perhaps our climate isn’t as tantalising but we certainly have the similar hilly aspect!
Over the coming weeks, I’m going to run a series of short pieces on Brosna’s talented artists, showcasing their unique work and giving a glimpse into their creative processes.
Why Does Art Matter?
It is a higher expression of our existence and is the significant act that separates us from the rest of the animal world.
Artists feel compelled to create. It isn’t always the most lucrative career choice nor does an artist always win accolades or approval for work created.
Yet the rewards for an artist are in interpreting their life experience, distilling it into something unique that we, as the viewer, can engage with.
Celebrating Questioning Souls
This series of articles is not a paid advertisement. It is simply my wish to turn a spotlight on some of the extraordinarily talented people who live and create in our community.
It is a celebration of all those questioning souls – our neighbours and friends – who follow the Artist’s Way.
A Gift for Life and Beyond
If you are looking to acquire something unique and beautiful to adorn your home. Or perhaps you want to give a present with true meaning to a friend or wedding couple.
An original artwork is unquestionably the most meaningful gift. It remains as a tangible reminder of the person who created it, the person who gifted it and the environment that inspired it.
Art is something we pass on to others. It gains in greater value with each generation as it contains our personal story wrapped up in the work of art.
Please support your artists.
Connect over Messenger
Any artist who lives in Brosna and wishes to be featured in this series, please connect with me over messenger. I would be delighted to hear from you.
Featured Artist No.1 is Kathleen Hurley, Visual Artist
Over 20 years ago, Kathleen Hurley moved to Brosna and like so many individuals who are born abroad to Irish parents, Kathy was drawn to the essence of life on our small island.
Having studied fine art in England, following up with a diploma in European art history from UCC and a BA in fine art through the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork, Kathy’s work is informed by her life immersed in nature on her remote Brosna hillside.
Wild Atlantic Influences
As well, the dramatic influences of the wild Atlantic along the Kerry coast have been captured in some of Kathy’s evocative work.
Attached are three examples of these beautifully atmospheric giclee printed images, produced in limited editions of 25 available to purchase.
Reproduced on high grade Hanna Muller paper, these giclee prints are made using pigment-based inks.
Oil Paintings and Drawings
They are high resolution images in the sharpest detail, displaying a full-colour spectrum. Unlike a standard print, giclee captures every shade of an original work.
As well, Kathy has many oil paintings and drawings that reflect the immediate circle of her life quietly observing the ever-changing landscape and purity of nature here in Brosna.
The Heron shows the artistry with which Kathy works – the fluidity of her drawing bringing her subject startlingly to life.
Mount Eagle’s Trees and Turbines
The abstract, Autumn in Kerry, blends the trees and turbines of Mount Eagle in a dramatic pattern.
While the openness of the brush work in Brosna Sunset shows the limitless horizons viewed from one of the Parish’s highest points.
This is just a small glimpse into some of the unique and beautiful work by one of our celebrated local artists.
Kathy has been exhibited in England, China, Britanny and Ireland. Her keen eye and feel for the landscape and how we as humans are influenced by our natural environment are what draws us into her work.
If you wish to contact Kathleen Hurley, please connect with her on: 085 1052177 or: findkathyhurley@googlemail.com
You can contact The Maine Valley Post on…Anyone in The Maine Valley Post catchment area who would like to send us news and captioned photographs for inclusion can send them to: jreidy@mainevalleypost.com Queries about advertising and any other matters regarding The Maine Valley Post can also be sent to that address or just ring: 087 23 59 467.
