Tipperary Artist Lynn Kirkham features in charitable arts project under stARTers orders
Under stARTers orders, a unique public arts project has enlisted no less than 21 of Ireland’s finest artists to paint their own take on life-size fibre reisen horse sculptures. Each creation is for sale with all proceeds going to Kildare based charities Irish Injured Jockeys and Sensational Kids. The works will be on public display at various locations around Kildare and Meath over the coming weeks. Exhibition spaces include; The Punchestown Festival, Kildare Village, Whitewater Shopping Centre, The Irish National Stud, Horse Racing Ireland in County Kildare as well as Solstice Arts Centre in County Meath.
Following the recent unveiling of all 21 creations at Naas Racecourse, the horses have been dispersed to numerous viewing locations where the public are invited to get up-close and personal with these amazing pieces before they are claimed by their new owners.
The imminent Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 30th to Saturday 4th of May. Punchestown will kindly exhibit eight horses for racegoers to enjoy, these include; ‘Whispered Courage’ by Sarah Lennon, ‘Bloodlines’ by Martin Gale, ‘Brexit – Hello or Goodbye?’ by Micasso, ‘Horsepower’ by Paul Woods, ‘The Spirit of Life’ by Lynn Kirkham of Greenmantle Arts in Tipperary,‘Cure’ by Rosie McGurran, ‘The Banker’ by Marina Hamilton and ‘Duality’ by Tony O’Connor.
Meanwhile Kildare Village, Whitewater Shopping Centre, The Irish National Stud, Horse Racing Ireland and Solstice Arts Centre in Navan, Co. Meath will exhibit from now until June.
Kildare Village has a beautiful display area designed for ‘Spiorad na Machairí’ by Grainne Dowling, ‘Mother’ by Michelle Mc Bride, ‘Sheba’ by The Edge in collaboration with Duda, ‘Geronimo’ by Eamon Colman, ‘Sally – Fire in her Belly’ by Liam O’Neill and ‘Trojan Horse – Call me Hope’ by Katy Palmieri-Seddiq.
‘Skyhorse’ by Amelia Peart, ‘Winifred’ by Elizabeth Cope and ‘Curragh of Kildare’ by Gay Brabazon are on public display at Whitewater Shopping Centre, The Irish National Stud is treating visitors to ‘Minoru’ by Liza Kavanagh and ‘Misneach’ by Sara Hodson while Horse Racing Ireland at Ballymany is exhibiting ‘Flying Colours’ by Lia Laimbock.
The concept for the entire project was inspired by the New Curragh Development which will be opening shortly. Organisers wanted to mark this significant transformation at the heart of the thoroughbred county in a creative way. Under stARTers orders have brought incredible works of art to the attention of the public by cleverly displaying the project at key locations. Furthermore, organisers have turned the project into a superb fundraising initiative in aid of two most deserving local charities, Irish Injured Jockeys and Sensational Kids.
Speaking of his Curragh Racecourse inspired work titled ‘Dream it. Do it.’ Equine Artist, John Fitzgerald said “The Curragh is an amazing place and the piece shows on one side, a horse going down to the start with the old stand in the background and on the other side, it has an image of the new stand full of people with a horse coming towards the viewer. In a sense, it’s a transition from the old to the new, keeping the horse as the most important feature, it’s also a testament to the team at The Curragh who have made this project happen. I hope this piece will inspire many others who like me have had many dreams come true. Dream it. Do it, is a tag line I have used in the past few years, it’s a simple positive message for anyone.” ‘Dream it. Do it.’ Will be on display at Solstice Arts Centre in Navan, Co. Meath until June 6th.
Artists taking part in the under stARTers orders initiative: | |||
1 | Dream it, Do it | John Fitzgerald | www.johnfitzgeraldart.ie |
2 | Whispered Courage | Sarah Lennon | www.sarahlennonart.com |
3 | Flying Colours | Lia Laimbock | www.lialaimbock.com |
4 | Mother | Michelle Mc Bride | |
5 | Misneach | Sara Hodson | |
6 | Bloodlines | Martin Gale | http://www.martingale.ie/ |
7 | Cure | Rosie McGurran | |
8 | The Banker | Marina Hamilton | http://www.marinahamilton.net/ |
9 | Duality | Tony O’Connor | http://www.whitetreestudio.ie/ |
10 | Horsepower | Paul Woods | http://www.paulwoodsart.com |
11 | The Spirit of Life | Lynn Kirkham | http://www.lynnkirkham.net/ |
12 | Trojan Horse – Call me Hope! | Katy Palmieri-Seddiq | |
13 | Minoru | Liza Kavanagh | |
14 | Skyhorse | Amelia Peart | http://www.ameliapeart.com/ |
15 | Brexit – Hello or Goodbye? | Micasso | |
16 | Spiorad na Machairí | Grainne Dowling | |
17 | Geronimo | Eamon Colman | http://www.eamoncolman.com/ |
18 | Winifred | Elizabeth Cope | http://elizabethcope.com/ |
19 | Sally – Fire in her belly! | Liam O’Neill | http://www.liamoneillart.com/ |
20 | Curragh of Kildare | Gay Brabazon | |
21 | Sheba | The Edge in collaboration Duda | http://www.duda.ie/ |
Irish Injured Jockeys was set up in 2014 to increase awareness and raise vital funds to support injured jockeys. Led by Chairman Ruby Walsh, and leading riders including representatives of HRI and The Turf Club, Irish Injured Jockeys’ vision is to provide long-term care and guidance; not only when jockeys have suffered injury through race-riding, but when they will need help in their secondary careers and in their lives after they have finished riding.