Meath County Council Arts Grants
Currently open for 2017 with a closing date of 31st March 2017.

Kennedys art supplies workshops

11th March – introduction to watercolour Sean Molloy 10.15-4.15
25th March – drawing the figure Teresa McAllister
1st April – Seascapes Brenda Molloy
8th April – Still Life Teresa McAllister
15th April – Painting the nude figure Will Nathans

Bealtaine Festival workshops

Thursday March 9th – Thursday April 13th 2pm – 4pm Navan Library
Tuesday March 14th- Tuesday April 11th 6.30pm -8.30pm Kells Resource Centre

Carlow Arts Festival 
“Visual” in Carlow have an open submission on at the moment.  Deadline March 10^th.
Exhibition will run from June to September.

Aesthetica Art Prize
The 11th Aesthetica Art Prize is now open for entries, presenting a fantastic
opportunity for artists, both established and emerging, to further their
career in the art world and showcase their work to a wider audience.

RHA Open Submission
Deadline is March 23^rd.
Forms online from RHA website.
This year they are taking 40% commission on sales.

MEATH ARTS GROUP WORKSHOPS FOR TORADH EXHIBITION

6.30-9pm  
Wednesday 15^th March
Solstice Arts Centre, Navan
Show and Tell on Ebb and Flow 
Bring anything that you have started or thought about.  This is just to get the process rolling.

A discussion followed on the size of work for the Toradh exhibition.  Work including frame is to be 40 x 40 cm or 30 x 40 cm so as to unify exhibition.  If artists want to create smaller pieces these will then go on a separate wall.   If exhibiting 3D pieces these can only be displayed on the opening night.  Anything freestanding has to be taken down after that.

LIFE DRAWING

Peter keen to start this up again if a venue can be found as he has a model.  Peter to get in touch with Newgrange Lodge for one or two day workshops. Other venues suggested were Navan Rugby Club, GAA in Ratoath, Dunboyne Parish Centre, The Venue in Ratoath.  If anyone has any information on these or other venues on how much venue costs and what are coverings on windows then please send to Peter.

THE ATRIUM

Jim O’Brien has approached The Atrium, an OPW building in Trim, on behalf of the group to have an exhibition there.  Exhibition boards are freestanding in the huge reception area.  They have their own hanging system.  They request that no prices are to be put on labels, just telephone numbers of artists for sales.  No invigilation will be required although a list of works can be left at the reception desk if anyone has a query on sales.  There will be no commission charged.  Exhibition will start on June 28^th and finish on July 28^th, 2017 inclusive of hanging and take-down. Opening night would be from 6-7.30 and if we want to open later we pay for staff.  No theme but use your ‘best’ pieces!  Further info to follow.

Next Meeting  Wednesday 5^th April, 8pm.

Meath County Council Arts Office are sponsoring a series of art workshops to be held in the Kells People’s Resource Centre and will be run by Visual Artist, Jillian Gott.

The workshops are for people over the age of 55 years and will prepare works for an art exhibition to be held in May as part of the Bealtaine Festival.

The Bealtaine Festival is held during the month of May and is Ireland’s celebration of creativity as we age, focussing on encouraging reflection on who we are as we mature.

The first of these art workshops will be held on Tuesday 14th March in the Kells People’s Resource Centre, Old Carrick School, Lord Edward Street, Kells from 6.30 – 8.30pm. All materials will be supplied.

Please forward this information to anyone you know who may be interested and is eligible to attend the art workshops.

Sunday 11th December, 

Winter Wonderlands

Artist led children’s workshops in tandem with Winterrific Family day. Participants will be asked to explore Bernadette Kiely’s exhibition A SECOND WORLD - any given day and create their own winter landscapes.

11.00am – 11.45 am (4 – 7 yrs): Max 15 Participants

12.15pm – 1.15 pm (7 – 10yrs): Max 15 Participants

Admission: Free (booking essential → BOOK NOW)

Meath Arts Group SOLSTICE EXHIBITION – REFLECTIONS

Wording for Solstice publicity material was discussed. Agreed on the following. “The Meath Arts Group is presenting an exhibition which takes its inspiration from reflections on aspects of Irish life from 1916 through 2016. The work will be presented in a variety of media ranging from sculpture and ceramics to painting and textiles. The exhibition coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Meath Arts Group.”

Dates for the exhibition are Saturday July 23rd (opening) to August 5th. Artists can submit five pieces of work for selection with a guarantee of one being in the exhibition. Submission date not established yet.

Workshops:
Saturday March 12th 10am – 1pm Show and Tell in Solstice – bring work, sketchbooks, ideas to show the group
Saturday April 2nd 10.30am – 3.30pm – Portrait workshop with Peter CAN EVERYONE WHO INTENDS TO GO TO THIS WORKSHOP PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO annabelpotterton@hotmail.com as spaces are limited.
Saturday April 16th 10am – 1pm Show and Tell in Solstice
Saturday May 14th 10am-1pm Show and Tell in Solstice
Thursday June 9th time to be arranged Mette’s workshop on writing about your work
Saturday June 11th 10am-1pm Show and Tell in Solstice – bring finished unframed self-portraits Size of canvas or board or paper is to be 40cm x 30cm. We will get them all framed the same by Rory, the framer from Ratoath. No deep canvases.

ST ULTAN’S SPECIAL SCHOOL

St Ultan’s (Flower Hill, Navan) special school are having an artweek from 7^th to 17^th June.  They would appreciate some artworks to hang in the school for this period.  If any artist is interested in lending them one or two pieces (only 2D) the work needs to be dropped to the school to Michael O’Brien on June 7^th.

CREDIT UNION, NAVAN

Jim has been speaking to the Credit Union in Navan who have agreed to allow us to exhibit in the building on a trial basis for 12 months.  They have asked that one artist puts one piece of work in for a month and another artist takes the next month.  The work can be for sale although the staff in the Credit Union don’t want to have anything to do with the sale so please put your telephone number on the label saying something like “If you would be interested in purchasing this work please ring  . . .” Martina Keegan is the contact in the Credit Union.  A week before the new piece is going in Martina has requested an image of the piece by email (mkeegan@navancu.ie).  Please note that the work is not insured against theft.  Jim is putting something in for March and there will be a draw at the next meeting for the following months.  So far Gwen, Cosette, Olly, Anne-Marie, Dorothy, Mette, Peter, Sharon, Angela and Annabel are all interested in being in the draw.  Peter and Sharon signed the indemnity form for the CU.

BRU NA BOINE, NEWGRANGE EXHIBITION

Three pieces each.  All work to be brought to the venue on Friday 25th March 10am until 12 noon.  Jim, Peter, Sharon, Dorothy and possibly Angela volunteered to hang the
exhibition.  Work to be related to Newgrange and Celtic theme.  Pick up works on 15th April before 3.30pm.

Next meeting – Wednesday April 6^th in the Stonehouse Pub

Youth Arts Taster Sessions (Two days of arts workshops)

Thursday 18 February
11.00am – 1.00pm (12-14 year olds)
2.00pm – 4.00pm (15-17 year olds)

Theatre/Drama with Jason Byrne
Pottery/Sculpture with Fiona Smith Darragh
Guerilla Film Making with Shay Casserly

Friday 19 February
11.00am – 1.00pm (12-14 year olds)
2.00pm – 4.00pm (15-17 year olds)

Samba Drumming with Dorian Bordalo
Stop Motion Animation with Delphine Coudray
Street Art with Mark Smith
Contemporary Dance/Choreography with Ella Clarke

Contact Meath County Council Arts Office on 046 9097414 or artsoffice@meathcoco.ie
Booking essential. €7 per workshop.

The Venue, Ratoath, Co. Meath

SOLSTICE EXHIBITION/WORKSHOPS
The theme for this exhibition in August is REFLECTIONS. Peter hopes to organise two workshops each month.
All members must attend a minimum of two workshops and one ‘show and tell’ to be allowed to put works in to this exhibition. Peter to send an email out to all members explaining this. A discussion on workshops followed.
Thursday February 4th 7.30pm in Solstice Workshop to get ideas rolling on the theme. Sharon and Theresa to lead.
Wednesday February 24th 7.30pm in Solstice Workshop on portraiture given by Peter. As a celebration of the ten year anniversary of the Meath Arts Group we discussed at the last meeting the idea of doing self-portraits of ourselves and having them in the café gallery as part of the August exhibition. This would sit well with the theme of reflections as they are images of ourselves in the mirror. Could have information on meath arts group beside them and other work upstairs. Hopefully they would all look very different and be quite experimental. Could be on the same size board/canvas to unify collection.
Thursday March 3rd or Thursday March 10th – Theresa may do a workshop on acrylic inks on one of these nights. She will know once she gets her work schedule.
Peter to ask Suella if she can do a Saturday in March for a workshop on photographing work.
Mette will do a workshop on felting and one on writing an artistic statement later in the year.
Dorothy and Annabel will do a workshop on egg tempera painting. Probably on a Saturday morning in April.

A.O.B.
Kathleen Maher has a solo exhibition running in Navan library at the moment with ten sold already.
Jim O’Brien mentioned that the library are looking for artists to have exhibitions there.
There is usually a Meath Arts Group exhibition in the library around Paddys Day. A few people said they would be interested. Sharon to speak to library and bring details to next meeting.
Paul suggested that one person each meeting could talk about a well-known painting that they like. [Paul to start this next meeting?]

Opening nights for next two exhibitions in Solstice are:
Wednesday 20th January 7pm Quality of Forum – three person show
Thursday 14th April 7pm 1916 exhibition.

NEXT MEETING
Peter still teaching on Mondays so meetings to continue on Wednesdays for the moment.
Next meeting Wednesday 2nd February 8pm in the Stonehouse Pub

Contact Peter for details: 086 2440266

Forget about “ART” in big letters and enjoy a new found skill in your own time and home .This class will enable you to do a proper still life and composition within the chosen dimensions of your “canvas” or sheet of paper before the day is out!

Jan Muyllaert, musical instrument maker in Navan since 1974, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium . “Drawing , design and all forms of visual arts are part of my daily work , so I really enjoy the time in my workshop! I have over the years taught at secondary level and adult classes and love the challenge and the resulting joy at the end of the day for all involved.”

Venue Knights of Columbanus premises on Cannon Row, Navan .
Date 9.30am – 4.00 pm (break for lunch) Saturday 22nd March
Cost Euro 15 .00 per person.(feel free to give more as it’s for a good cause)

While there will be some materials provided, please bring with you : an A3 or A2 sketch pad some 4B pencils , chalk , charcoal , scissors or scalpel ,a nr 4 pointed brush , some watercolour and whatever other art stuff you might have lying around and not used for ages but is dying to get out of the drawers after being idle for years!!
You’ll be bringing home a finished piece of work at the end of the day, and a copy of the text explaining the techniques involved.

Jan is giving this class as a fund raiser in aid of Judith Clarke and her attendance at the national games for Special Olympics in Limerick in mid- June 2014 . Jan has known Judith for 15 years now as a Special Olympics athlete playing basketball for the Navan Arch Club , Team Leinster and Team Ireland! She is an amazing person who , in spite of her personal health restrictions, is currently going for her Gold Award in the Athlete Leadership Programme, on which Jan is her personal mentor. She is a client at Rehab, Navan and a volunteer helper at Navan Meals on Wheels. As part of this Award she has to do public speaking , write essays , take photographs and address meetings. All of these tasks are done to a high standard and assessed by her peers at SO meetings and functions.

You can enter your name for the course at
McAloon’s Centre, Trimgate St, Navan
Ask at the till for ‘Jan’s Drawing Class’
Pay the 15.00 and bring the receipt you receive to the class on Saturday 22nd March.
Limited to twenty-five people.

Many thanks to McAloon’s Centre for administrating the entries and entry fee.
There is also a 10% discount available on art materials to members of Meath Arts Group (at any time).