Shorelines Arts Festival

September 2019 | Eibhilin Crossan

I was delighted to be one of the invited artists at the wonderful Shorelines Art Festival in Portumna this year.

Now in its 12th year, the festival has developed into a premier boutique arts festival in the Midlands of Ireland. The festival is a true community project organised by a nine-member local voluntary committee who take pride in seeing the population of Portumna significantly increase in numbers for the duration of the festival.

The Visual Arts Programme featured a diverse range of artists working across many different mediums with the annual Shorelines Art Exhibition running for two weeks in the beautiful Gallery at the Irish Workhouse Centre.

Margaret Hickey co-ordinates the Visual Arts programme for Shorelines. “Our 2019 show promises to be more varied and bigger than ever before, with some very distinguished artists contributing. We are very proud of the huge range of high-quality work that people have come to expect from the Shorelines Art Exhibition and are sure there will be something for everyone’s taste and budget.”

The art exhibition, included prints and paintings from Mary O’Connor, landscapes from Merrily Harpur, art with pop influences from Debbie Chapman, prints, watercolours and paintings from Judy Powell, paintings evocative of Celtic mythology and fairy tale from Ann McKenna and smoke-fired ceramic vessels by Jane Seymour.

Here are some photos of the opening night which was a splendid affair with a full house, opened by the Galway County Council Arts Officer Sharon O’Grady.

https://www.shorelinesartsfestival.com/