Westmeath County Arts Office is delighted to present Related Studies, a collaborative exhibition of portraits by local Artist Lorraine Dunne and photographs by Gretta Murphy in the Atrium, County Buildings, Mullingar. The exhibition will be officially opened by leas Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Aoife Davitt on Thursday 15th June at 6pm, all are welcome and we look forward to seeing you there. Related Studies will run from 13th to the 23rd June.
Using the different media of oils and photography this exhibition represents a collection of works inspired by people and plants mostly of those that are known to the artists.
The two bodies of work are distinct although there is harmony between them. The relationship between Lorraine and Gretta is a key sustaining influence for their Artwork and this exhibition is the outcome of many fruitful discussions and happy accidents. Lorraine and Gretta are related to each other, Lorraine’s mother Bree is Gretta’s sister.
The adjective Related describes a state of connectedness and association to someone or something, to family, group, senses, colour, season and so on. It is also associated with concepts of narration, sharing, conveying and comparison. These connections and concepts are represented variously throughout the exhibition.
Lorraine has had a keen interest in visual art from childhood. She attended NCAD at night in her early 30s to do life drawing but life got in the way of art and she didn’t paint again until the death of her much loved father-in-law in April 2020. Her wish to honour him led her to resume painting, particularly portraits. She is currently studying fine art at Atlantic Technological University in Galway.
Gretta has recently retired from a forty year career in early education. In 1992 she took a two year sabbatical to study pottery. She has always maintained an interest in the Creative Arts and in particular its connection with the natural world. Gardening is her passion and Photography is a natural companion to it. Since her retirement last year she has had more time to explore plant photography – all images have been taken in her garden in Gowran Co. Kilkenny.
The coherent way of investigating any field is to examine its possible relatedness to other things. Frederick Sommer