Half Asleep: Julia Pallone exhibition at Ballina Arts Centre
Throughout the month of June, Ballina Arts Centre will host Half Asleep, an exhibition by multi-disciplinary artist Julia Pallone. Through a variety of means, such as drawing, photography and installations, she explores a poetic vision of the world; a vision which is fragile and vulnerable.
Julia explains: “My interest lies in the possible occurrences of metamorphosis, in the surging up of the fantastic in everyday life, not as an intrusion into the real world, but as an inherent part of it – a latent yet omnipresent state. Half Asleep deals with the ideas of sleep, dreams and the drifting mind.”
Julia Pallone comes from Angers in France and moved to Co. Cork over three years ago. She graduated in 2002 with an MFA from the School of Art of Nantes, has exhibited in France and Ireland and has been awarded several art residencies in both countries. Half Asleep will be officially opened by novelist Helen Falconer on Wednesday June 3 at 8pm. Free admission, and all are welcome to attend. Half Asleep runs until June 27.
An Evening with Great Irish Writers at Ballina Arts Centre
On Thursday June 1 (starting at 8pm ), Ballina Arts Centre will present ‘An Evening with Great Irish Writers’. Actor Neil O’Shea will lead a journey through the writings of some of Ireland’s most famous writers. Including characters such as Oscar Wilde’s hilarious Lady Bracknell, Flann O’Brien’s The Brother and many more, as well as interpretations of the writers themselves, the show takes in Wilde, O’Brien, Percy French, Jonathan Swift, Oliver Goldsmith, George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, and Seamus Heaney.
The show pays tribute to the extraordinary wealth of literature in English that has come out of Ireland and indeed continues to come out of Ireland to this day. This humorous one-man show is a treat for all tastes. Admission: €12/€10.
Weave a painting workshops at Ballina Arts Centre
On Saturday June 13, 20 and 27, artist Jane Dunn will lead a three-week series of weaving workshops at Ballina Arts Centre, where the focus will be on weaving a painting. Jane explains: “Choose a painting you love, either by a famous artist or one of your own, and create the image in a woven tapestry using an exciting mixture of textile fibres and a wide variety of weaving techniques. You will be shown how to use texture and colour in a creative way to interpret your painting and see samples of other tapestries from the past and present to inspire you.” Beginners and experienced are welcome as each person will be given individual tuition to meet his or her needs.
Participants should bring along a photo of the painting they would like to weave (there will also be a selection of images provided ) and any wools and materials they may like to include, ie, fancy wools, cottons, fabric, ribbons, buttons, string, etc. Participants should also bring a tapestry needle, small sketch book and pencil. Frame looms will be available and a colourful range of yarns for a small materials fee of €6 per person. Jane Dunn has a history of painting and making and teaching textiles for over 20 years. She has a fine art honours degree and has exhibited widely in UK and Ireland in solo and group shows. Workshop times: 10.30am to 12.30pm; and 1pm to 2.30pm. Ticket price: €45 for three workshops. Pre-booking for all workshops is essential. Please state which workshop session you wish to book when booking (morning or afternoon ). Telephone: 096 73593
Sound + Vision 2009: Dylan on Screen - Celebrating Music in Film
Once again, Sound + Vision, Ballina’s Film Festival, aims to celebrate music in film with a programme of film screenings and music. This year the programme is concentrating on Bob Dylan and his relationship with the big screen. Ballina Film Club salutes this enduring artist through a programme of screenings capturing the enigmatic Dylan in a number of his guises.
Running from Monday June 29 to Friday July 4, the programme will include screenings of I’m Not There, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Masked and Anonymous, The Last Waltz and Don’t Look Back, and will culminate with a special performance by Irish rock group The Walls, as they pay tribute to Dylan with a special, intimate gig. Not to be missed. Full details on www.ballinaartscentre.com
