St Christopher’s art exhibition Grá goes down a treat at Longford's Backstage Theatre

The official opening of St Christopher’s art exhibition Gra, took place at the Backstage Theatre on Monday, December 4.
Gra was officially opened by Irish wood Sculpture Artist Joey Burns.

The exhibition was made up of paintings, slow sewing projects, felt work, pottery, wood craft, origami, yarnbombing and photography.

Clare Fitzsimons Art Teacher at St Christopher’s said the exhibition marked the end of a busy year in the Arts department.

During the year, Service Users participated and later exhibited in the Arts illuminated Longford Lights workshop learning from the festival Director Tom Meskell. Acting Longford County Arts officer Shane Crossan was thanked for coordinating this.

There had been an Inservice art competition to design a new logo for the organisation, with Rosario Roberts being announced as the winner. Service users from the Activation Unit, visited the Junk Kouture class at Cnoc Mhuire Granard and picked up tips from the students and their teacher Charmaine Hetherton.

Following on from this, service users held a very enjoyable and successful trashy fashion competition culminating with a fashion show held at the Longford Arms Hotel. BBQ Summer Sizzler, Flower Power and Covid Warrior Princess, Trashy fashion pieces were part of the Gra exhibition at the Atrium Gallery.

Caption: Mary Gray, Clare Fitsimons, Martin Crinnegan and Joey Burnes Picture: Shelley Corcoran

In the summer, service users took to the streets of Granard and along with a team of volunteers from Granard Men's Shed, the Ukraine and Syrian community and Lus na Gréine Family Resource Centre, Granard was Yarn Bombed with pieces made at knitting and sewing classes.

Service user Frances Tynan took part in international yarn bombing day. Frances submitted pieces to an exhibition in Fermanagh. With the support of the art department Service users from the Traveller community explored their heritage and culture, made pieces and took part in Traveller pride week events at Maynooth university and exhibited pieces at Longford Library.

Service users took part in workshops to create Easter and Christmas cards for competitions organised by TILDA, a unit within Trinity college that studies ageing and intellectual disability.

Martin Crinigan, photographer, ran a six week workshop with Winnie, Donlon, Patricia Carrigy, Tommy Sullivan, and Clement Farrell, photos from those workshops are on view at the exhibition. Service users also took part in painting classes with Mary Gray and pottery with Mishall Griffiths, Conor McGrath of Longford ETB was thanked for organising these.

To finish off the year, service users are busy working on submitting entries to the Teagasc forest photography competition.

Doug, Lena and Mona and all the staff at the Backstage theatre were thanked for the assistance they provided with hosting Gra.

MAIN PHOTO CAPTION: Artists: Mark Kelly, Thomas Prunty, Joe Dooley, Linda McGee, Geraldine Byrne, Nicole Belton, Mary P. Kelly, Niamh Tallon, Sadie Sorohan, Brendan Duffy, Rachel Connolly, Anna Masterson, Carmel Farrell, Michelle Manning, Clare Kelly, Patricia Carrigy, Tommie Sullivan, Triona Maloney, Breda McHugh, Hilda Nevin, Orla Mulligan, Paul Farrell, Maureen Stokes, Clement Farrell, Lenny Ward, Stephen Halvey, Danielle Vorster, Rosie Maguire, Margaret Hornett, Tony Gill, Sylvia Gannon, Amanda Butler, Kevin Murtagh, Niamh Rushe, Emily Behan, Miriam Delaney, John Reilly, John Kyle, Joan Smyth, Sinead McGuire, Winnie Donlon, John Millar, Issac Frimprong, Martina Sherwin, Louise Farrell, Patrick Stokes, Zoe McCreanor, Clare Kelly, Joanne Kulisz, Bernard O'Leary, Fiona McGiveney, Katie McGahern, Ashan Raza Syed Picture: Shelley Corcoran