This article is from page 30 of the 2007-08-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 30 JPG
THE countdown is on to Ireland’s first ever outdoor painting competi- tion, which takes place in the Burren Painting Centre this weekend. Outdoor painting competitions or ‘paint-outs’ have became popular in America in recent years but this is the first one which has ever been organised on this side of the Atlantic. The competition sees a large group of artists gather together on one day to paint and offer different artistic takes on the same moment in time. “It’s an opportunity for good ama- teur artists to come together and
paint for one day. Each person who comes to the day will have their can- vas or paper stamped in the morning and they will be sent out to three lo- cations around Lisdoonvarna’’, ex- plained Chris O’ Neill of the Burren Painting Centre.
“At the moment we have about 30 artists registered, but people can still sign up until Friday. When they reg- ister on Saturday morning we will give them the three secret locations where the painting will take place.”
The judging panel includes Irish painter Rosemary Carr and water colour expert Charles Harper. Paint- ers will be allowed to enter two
paintings either in oil and acrylic, pure water colour or mixed media, pastel and gouache.
‘People can paint all day, as long as they have their entries with us by 6pm on Saturday evening. I would say most people will enter one paint- ing but I know of people who have told me that they will be entering two, usually one water colour and one acrylic.” Following the competi- tion and judging a prize-giving lunch will take place in the King Thomand Hotel on Sunday September 2, from lpm to 3pm. Prizes will be presented to the winning artists by Lady Alison Rosse of Birr Castle.
The Burren Painting Centre was established in 1974 and has been at- tracting budding artists from Ireland, Europe and America to the Burren since then. Courses are run each year in Lisdoonvarna, from May to Au- cust, with ‘away trips’ organised in April and October to various parts of the world.
The Outdoor Landscape Paint- ing Competition will take place on September 1. Registration will take place at the National School, Lis- doonvarna from 8:30am to 10am. For more information contact the Burren Painting Centre in Lisdoonvarna on NEOs