People and Places

Judy Greene officially opened the exhibition. These are some of her notes for her speech.

Exhibition of People & Places that are important to Máire:

• her family
• her friends: especially musicians
• her house
• her immediate environment, the village of Menlo just outside Galway
• Galway docks with those wonderful studies of boats

For many women artists, be they poets or painters or sculptors, there is a mid career gap caused by the arrival of children. For some this is a frustration time - others don't seem to mind the break and indeed enjoy the excitement of re-discovery as their skills come back to them.
There is no evidence of frustration in these paintings - rather the keen observations of a calm mature eye. The great difficulty for any artist is to make their work look simple, and that is the effect achieved in these relaxed images. The portraits in particular are works of great confidence and keenly observed, and you can see the subjects of these paintings are completely relaxed - with the possible exception of one study of a daughter who is obviously thinking "Oh for God's sake, will you get on with it Mum!"
There is a serious emphasis on draughtsmanship in the exhibition, probably reflecting the influence of her teacher Seán Keating - and she is not afraid to use colour either - just look at those docks studios. She makes a virtue of the everyday in her work, the lane where she lives, her dresser, her garden, old ruined house nearby.
I think tonight we are witnesses to the re-emergence of a strong and unique artistic voice - there are works of real quality and individuality, whether they are in oils or watercolours or pastel. It is a celebration.
Also wonderful to see her children - all of whom seem to be bringing talent themselves, be it musical or artistic.