Sometimes, you might feel a twinge of despair at how the arts are seen in Waterford but on May Day in Cathedral Square as the sun struggled through grey skies it was a morning of optimism. Lynn Cahill, the Arts Manager at Christ Church launched a new, to Waterford, initiative of inviting artists to exhibit in the square along the Cathedral railings.
The mood was good, artists sat and stood and chatted with visitors. At the furthest end Myra Dulson had some excellent Dunmore East watercolours and a striking Old Knockboy Village.
Esther Heffernan had a great sense of colour and tranquillity with studies of boats. Tony Cassidy has wonderful street scenes and a beautiful view of Ballybricken. Maeve Doherty is another artist whose work always impresses me and her local images are excellent and very collectable.
I loved the brash comic-strip vitality and colour of two younger artists Naomi Warren and Denise Flood. Naomi had quick lines and energy leaping from the canvas while Denise had a fine dramatic scene of colour tones.
Monica Hogan from Farran Park had vibrant orange tones full of summer and earthy passion. She was even dressed in orange clothes.
Se Gilna from O’Brien Street had some glorious nude studies and he deals in classic reproductions of old masters where he researched technique and materials. He uses Russian canvas and hand mixes pigment with linseed oil. There is a lot of detail in his work that I liked very much.
Pat McArdle had some impressive metal work with oil paint and board. I was fascinated by his Aspects of the Port Láirge based on material salvaged from the old dredger. I loved the sense of a vanished Waterford with the actual rust, decay and flux of change into memory.
Magdalena Karol had a large acrylic on board on the theme of memory. Structured like a collage with images of water, wheels, bridges and a central sense of distance on a wharf or boardwalk.
