The Atrium in the County Buildings on Mount Street in Mullingar is the place to catch an exhibition of paintings by Patsy Preston, artistic director of the iconic Festival of the Fires.
The exhibition will be officially opened by local journalist Ronan Casey on Thursday May 1 at 6.15pm and all are welcome to attend. This collection of paintings celebrates the fire festival of Bealtaine and will run until May 15.
Bold colours and enigmatic motifs suggest the pageantry and excitement of the celebration. The flame re-kindled by this event burns deeply in the hearts of many, here in the Midlands and beyond. Patsy’s paintings look beyond the physical and capture some of the magical essence of this event. The festivities on the Hill of Uisneach have been sadly missed in recent years but planning is well underway for a new, two-day event to celebrate Bealtaine on the hill in May 2015.
Patsy works in a wide range of mediums and her paintings and sculptures can be found in the private, public, and corporate sectors. She has participated in a number of group shows and her sculpture has featured at many events including the Vanishing Art Exhibition in the grounds of Cartron House, in Maynooth.
As Artist in Residence at the Dun na Si Midlands Amenity Park in Moate, Patsy has worked with Transition Year students from Moate Community College to create sculptural pieces and seating now located in the park. She is currently on the steering committee of ‘Art in the Park’ a sculpture initiative in secondary schools throughout the Midlands.
