Athlone’s Literary Festival, which is now in its 9th year, will be launched on Friday September 21. As part of Culture Night 2012 it is providing a free event entitled The Story of an Artist. This will be an interview with renowned watercolour artist Phyllis Del Vecchio with journalist Claire O’Brien. The interview will include details of the artist’s early life in America, the evolution of her painting life, her journey to Ireland, and her influences.
Phyllis Del Vecchio was born in Medford, Massachusetts, USA, and studied at the Boston Museum in Fine Arts School and the Massachusetts College of Art. She taught art, painted, and exhibited in the USA until 1964 when she came to Ireland on holiday. The changing light and colour in Ireland influenced her so greatly that she stayed. She has lived in East Galway for many years now.
She paints pure watercolours, in which the light is reflected from the paper, having passed through the various pigments. It is the direct brush stoke with the watercolour, the instant fixing of a thought which she loves. The interview with Phyllis Del Vecchio promises to be a rare insight into the life and work of one of the finest artists working in Ireland today.
The interview takes place on Friday September 21 at 8.15pm in Athlone Little Theatre, where some of her paintings will be on display that evening. A full programme for the upcoming Athlone Literary Festival is available on www.athloneliteraryfestival.com and the festival can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Bookings for all events can be made by contacting [email protected] or phone/text (086 ) 2282760.
