Busy times at the Butler Gallery

Date:

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Kilkenny Platfor-um
A series of free talks ranging from the archaeology and architecture of Kilkenny to contemporary arts practice in the city. No experience necessary. All welcome.

Gypsy Ray
Kilkenny Artist
Wednesday 25 November, 1 – 2pm
Parade Tower
Artist Gypsy Ray lives and works in Kilkenny and is deeply influenced by her immediate surrounds. Ray gives an illustrated talk on her artistic career in the county and her thoughts on why Kilkenny draws so many artists to the region. She explores other aspects of her practice in the city such as her work as lead arts facilitator of the 5 to 6 Womens’ Art Project and a recent residency undertaken at Kilkenny County Council Arts Office.

KCAT: Kilkenny Collective for Arts Talent
10 years in Callan
Wednesday 2 December, 1 – 2pm
Parade Tower
KCAT art and study centre has been operating in Callan for the last 10 years. Originally set up as a branch of the Camphill Communities in Kilkenny, it offers a variety of art and drama courses with the policy of an inclusive classroom. KCAT facilitates a studio for artists with disabilities and a drama troop for actors with disabilities. Hear a brief history of KCAT by facilitator/ tutor Jean Conroy and artist talks by studio artists Andrew Pike and Lorna Corrigan.

Blaise Smith
Painting on the Spot
Monday 7 December, 1 – 2pm
Parade Tower
Blaise Smith moved to Kilkenny in 1996 and took up painting again after a ten-year break. In a very real sense, Kilkenny inspired Smith to paint, with the creation of 10 landscape paintings for Kilkenny County Council in 2000. Smith is a realist painter who works from life, many of his works consisting of large-scale paintings of the vernacular farm buildings and features peculiar to the county. Smith speaks about his work, the practicalities of landscape painting on the spot, and the purpose of painting in the digital age.

Endangered Studios
Up to now
Thursday 10 December, 6.30 – 8.00pm
Parade Tower
Artists Etaoin Holahan and Richard Coghlan talk about the origins and motivations of Endangered Studios, while Patrick O’Connor talks about the importance and nature of the artist’s studio in general. Past and current members of the studio will be present along with people who have been central to the development of the studios including Mary Butler and Patrick Lydon. Images of work by artists currently working at the studios and of the studio itself will punctuate the talks.

This talk is part of Make Belief: An evening of winter fictions at Kilkenny Castle from 6 – 10pm at the Butler Gallery and Kilkenny Castle. Join us for an evening of seasonal superstition and nostalgia at Kilkenny Castle including live readings by Claire Keegan (Night of the Quicken Trees) and Luke Sheehan, Kilkenny’s first ‘Breaking Bread’ event and music by Rory Grubb, Vicker’s Vimy and the River Valley Band among others. See the Butler Gallery’s Kilkenny: An Artists’ Celebration in a new light and hear the history of Kilkenny’s Endangered Studios.

Peter Kenny
Kilkenny Castle Outside
Wednesday 16 December
Kilkenny Castle Grounds
Over the eight centuries of its existence, many additions and alterations have been made to the fabric of Kilkenny Castle, making it a complex structure of various architectural styles, some illustrations of which are shown in the exhibition. Peter Kenny, Kilkenny Castle Guide, gives an outdoor tour of the exterior of Kilkenny Castle – discussing the architectural features and details of the Castle and the different phases of its design. Meet at the main black iron gate of Kilkenny Castle grounds. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring an umbrella.

Please call the Butler Gallery on 056 7761106 to find out more and book a place.