Solas Art Gallery welcomes three unique and intriguing artists for our coming joint solo exhibition at the Island Theatre, Ballinamore.

Paul Stockwell, a fine art graduate and previously Painting Technician Tutor in Schools of Art in England taught a wide variety of resourceful creative processes to all ages. Having relocated to Leitrim, Paul’s exhibition titled ‘Seasca’ (Irish for Sixty) is a celebration of his image making over a period of six decades; ‘starting with a simple drawing on paper of apple trees from my early childhood in Nottinghamshire and reaching the present day with works such as ‘Lichen’ which is a study in oil, of a deep blue algal/fungal growth on dead wood here in North Leitrim’. The in between images are a selection of Paul’s works from over the decades.

Margaret Rattigan is a Leitrim born self-taught Irish artist. Her acrylic paintings draw deep inspiration from the natural world, the local landscapes, and times past. This show titled ‘When Time Stands Still’ reflects a lifelong connection to the Irish landscape and a reflective nostalgia for simpler, quieter times. Margaret captures those rare moments so beautifully when the rush of life softens into stillness such as the quiet grace of a swan landing on a mirrored lake or roses growing in a weathered window; each painting is an invitation to rediscover beauty in the subtle rhythms of nature, the echoes of the past and the spirit of quiet.

Maria Mollohan, a printmaking artist explores the theme of returning to the centre, to creativity, and to art itself. Maria’s journey begun while literally and metaphorically climbing Croagh Patrick as she returned to college in 2019. As an emerging printmaker, ‘I'm interested in the journey back to my creative origins. This work is inspired by childhood photographs and the aesthetics of antiques which reflect both the past and the future. I enjoy understanding a process, like etching, screen-printing or lithography, then disassembling it to create my own version’. Maria is inspired by artists who challenge convention and envisages her work contributing to the visual landscapes of film sets.

The official opening will be hosted by internationally known art curator Ciara Hambly, of Hambly & Hambly Art Gallery Northern Ireland & France. Join us on Friday 16th May at 7:30pm for what promises to be an invigorating evening of art, culture and connection.