– Birds and Beasts –

an exhibition of artwork by

Liam Holden and Fidelma Massey

Venue: The Greenlane Gallery Dingle

Date: 11th – 30th April, 2009

Opening: 11th April 2009 at 7 pm

Opened by Philip King, cheese & wine reception

FIDELMA MASSEY – The Spring exhibition at The Greenlane Gallery finds renowned sculptress Fidelma Massey in ebullient form, working with new base materials which have allowed her to introduce the colour she has been craving for into her work. Animals and birds and variations thereof are the focus of her new collection, with the main piece, a bronze, titled ‘The Queen of Beasts’ (the guardian of all the animals), who holds a tiny embryonic animal in her hands. “I’ve decided to take a rest from trees” says Fidelma, “and the rookery outside my studio has been a great source of inspiration. It is very busy this time of year, so I thought they might need a little rest, so one of my new pieces is called ‘Rook Lullabye’! As well as being humourous and uplifting, using new and less expensive base materials has meant that some of Masseys new work is very affordable – good news for her avid group of collectors!

LIAM HOLDEN – Artist Liam Holden returns to Dingle, the area which first inspired him to paint, for an exhibition of his new work. Holden, who describes his style as ‘abstract expression’, visited Dingle in the early 80s at the invitation of local fisherman, Danny Sheehy, to spend the summer lobster fishing. This experience was to provide the trigger for the artist to paint, which up until that point had been missing in his life. Even today Holden’s work stems from those days fishing in a small boat around the islands and water in all its incarnations continues to be his main inspiration. His new paintings differ from earlier work in that the application of the paint has a much looser and wilder feel to it but the subject matter is always constant, each new canvas representing a different search to open doors to the imagination. Holden’s Show will comprise between 20 – 30 works, mainly oils with some drawings. It will also feature a lifesize Naomhog (or Curragh) which he is in the process of making with his old fishing partner, Danny Sheehy; a bridge between the past and the present.

Musician and film producer Philip King with former Tanaiste Dick Spring pictured at the opening of Liam Holden & Fidelma Massey art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend.
Picture by Don MacMonagle.

Musician and film producer Philip King with with artist Liam Holden at the opening of Liam Holden & Fidelma Massey art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend. Picture by Don MacMonagle.

Artist Liam Holden at the opening of Liam Holden & Fidelma Massey art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend. Picture by Don MacMonagle.

Artist, Fidelma Massey (center) and Greenlane Gallery proprietor, Susan Callery (right) at the opening of Liam Holden & Fidelma Massey art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend.

Georgina Steele from Dingle found the goose that laid the golden egg when she visited artist Liam Holden’s art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend.
Picture by Don MacMonagle

Donncha O’Cealleachoir, Lis Ni Cheileachoir, Tomas O’Luing and Margaret ui Luing pictured at the opening of Liam Holden & Fidelma Massey art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend. Picture by Don MacMonagle.

John Treloar, Dingle and Janet Johnston, Gallarus pictured at the opening of Liam Holden’s art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend.
Picture by Don MacMonagle.

Austin and Fiona Leahy, Ballydavid pictured at the opening of Liam Holden and Fidelma Massey art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend.
Picture by Don MacMonagle.

Musician and film producer Philip King with former Tanaiste Dick Spring pictured at the opening of Liam Holden and Fidelma Massey  art exhibition in the Greenlane Gallery, Dingle at the weekend.
Picture by Don MacMonagle.