Mary Cloake in The Basement

End of Year Exhibition by Artists from The Bridge Street Studios

Last year's venue for this end-of-year exhibition was in The Museum, Dundalk, on the top floor of what was once a tobacco warehouse belonging to P J Carroll's. This year's show which runs till 19 December 2005 opened last night in The Basement Gallery (under the Town Hall) which was once the gaol for those waiting execution in Dundalk.

An eclectic exhibition of work by the 11 Bridge Street Studio Artists opened last night in The Basement Gallery, Town Hall, Dundalk. The exhibition comprised about one hundred pieces of individual work. Mediums used included: metal wire, monofilament; silk, wire, thread, cotton; perspex, monofilament, wire; acrylics on canvas; mixed media on canvas; oil on canvas; oil on board; water-colour; ceramic; wool; silk papers; 18 ct yellow gold, silver, enamel; silver, dyed freshwater cultured pearls, aquamarine, quartz. The eleven artists are: Linda Bailey; Michele Haechler; Ciara Agnew; John O’Connor; Sarah McKenna; Frances Lambe; Fiona Quigley; Fiona Thornton; Gillian Callan; Joanne McKenna, Louisa Goss.

I bought three pictures - "The Wide Road or the Narrow Road 4" Oil on Board by Ciara Agnew, Price €145. "Not an Inch 4" Oil on Board by Ciara Agnew, Price €145. "White Pool 1" Silk Papers by Fiona Quigley, Price €95.

The top prices I noticed glancing through the catalogue were €500 for a ceramic piece by Frances Lambe and €500 for a pendant by Fiona Thornton the jewellery artist. However I think (as a rough estimate) most of the pieces on show were realistically priced at below €200. Naturally jewellery which is made of precious metals and stones has to be priced quite highly. On the other hand it can be tempting to buy.

There were approximately 100 individual works of art on show.

The gallery was packed with people who seemed to have a serious purpose. Arthur Kinahan, photographer for The Dundalk Democrat, working hard, was finding it difficult to get space for his subjects to pose in.

The exhibition was formally opened by Mary Cloake, Director, The Arts Council. Mary was beaming and radiated happiness like a friendly lighthouse - her blonde head showed well above the crowd. As far as I can remember her coat (or principal garment) was a black and white broad-shouldered affair in a chess-board pattern. In a carefully crafted speech, which without amplification carried remarkably well through what were the caverns of an old gaol, Mary talked about space for art, art in the community, the history of the Bridge Street Studios, the history of The Basement Gallery, and she devoted a small chapter to each of the individual artists whose work was on display in the exhibition. She concluded her speech with some unapologetic, Christmassy, sales talk.