UPDATE!
I was honoured (and totally overwhelmed) to have been awarded an Artist’s Choice Award at the close of the Rostrevor Art Group’s art exhibition during Fiddler’s Green festival.
Every year, exhibiting artists are invited to choose their favourite painting and the winner is presented with The Sean Fearon Award. The painting that was selected out of around eighty was of a local scene Lighthouse at Cranfield (sold during the exhibition) It is the blue one in the photo below between me and Mrs Fearon, widow of Sean Fearon, who presented the trophy.
Each year, the international Fiddler’s Green Festival in Rostrevor brings musicians, artists, writers and festival-goers to the picturesque village in County Down. Unbelievably, this is the 32nd year of the event and I’m really looking forward to participating for the first time.
There are usually several art exhibitions during the festival and one annual exhibitor is the Rostrevor Art Group, with its summer exhibition opening this Sunday (22nd July) I was invited to join the art group last year and it’s been great fun painting with members on a weekly basis. A plein air session held on the shores of Carlingford Lough a few months ago was particularly memorable.
I have been attending the Fiddler’s Green Festival since moving back to Ireland in 2000. It gets very busy at times, so I look forward to chatting to visitors at the launch and on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, when I’ll be manning the art exhibition.
Below is one of my paintings which is currently with my framer (he assures me it will be ready in time for set up!) It was inspired by a grove of coastal redwoods on the Tree Trail in Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor.
In addition, as a member of the Rostrevor Writing Group (yes, I get around 🙂 ) I will also be reading my poetry with other group members on Monday lunchtime in the Church Café and Bistro in the village, so feel free to drop by if you are in the area.
Finally, Tuesday evening sees the launch of a collection of poetry and art featuring haibun (a form of poetry comprising prose and haiku) Community organisation Light 2000 has published The Trees of Kilbroney and several contributing writers will read their work from the book at 6pm. Each haibun has been inspired by one of the trees in Kilbroney Park and mine, entitled Broken Branch, features one of the giant firs.
Look’s like it’s going to be a busy week!
seaviewwarrenpoint 
Congratulations, clever busy lady. Your itinerary left me breathless! 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Lovely to hear from you, Susan. I thought this summer would be very chilled because we stayed around in Ireland for a change, but nope! This Tuesday evening I am travelling with another poet to a reading up north, at which I think we are both doing a 4 min open mic (must check this) and then it’s back to business as usual in the school office on Wednesday and Thursday for the first time since the end of June. This will be a major shock to the system. 😮
marion