Carl Doran – Page 8 – Artist Carl Doran

Cats’ Tales, Preview March 14th 2013, March 15th-23rd

Raggle Taggle Gallery, Sarsfield St., Limerick.

From Cáit to Squealer, to the Unknown Kitten, to Mindy&Mandy, and now Squinter, this collection tells stories true and hypothetical about the lives of the cats of No.54.

For the first time the tale of Squinter will be shown consisting of new drawings, collages and an oil painting. Squinter née Squealer was one of four kittens, but was born with one eye closed, poor hearing and a poor sense of smell. As his siblings grew and ran about exploring, Squinter was left behind as they were brought into the wider world, himself unwilling/unable to join them. I would come home to find him miaow-ing facing in the garden’s direction, until I arrived back one day to discover he was nowhere to be seen. Squinter’s Tale is an imagining of what happened to him.

Squinter, Alone in the Woods,2013,collage on board,30x30cm(1x1ft) — Squinter. Alone in the Woods,2013,collage on board,30x30cm(1x1ft)

My thanks to Catriona Tierney and Limerick Post’s ‘For Pets Sake’ feature, 9 March 2013, page 50, for their coverage of the show – greatly appreciated! Also, I am very grateful to the local vet’s and Limerick Animal Welfare for allowing me to put posters/invites up for the show.

Epilogue

We had a great launch for the show – estimated at 200 attendees – many thanks to all! Following that, there were 349 logged visitors to the show, many of whom I had illuminating and engaging chats, covering art and cats while invigilating – new tales perhaps for the future. My thanks to Kathleen Bartlett for photo’s of the night.

Cats' Tales opening night — a short speech-Cats’ Tales opening night

Culture Night 2012 at Contact Studios

14 Solo Shows at Contact Studios September 2012

I displayed 9 previously unexhibited works from my Seasonal Variations Painting series, as part of the national Culture Night event. Each of the 14 Artist spaces were installed as solo exhibitions, the Studios cleared, painted, scrubbed, with visitors welcomed from 5-10pm with open arms.

It eclipsed our previous visitor number high for Keeping Contact (overview of 12 years of Contact Studios with over 40 artists) which had 200-250 attendees, with 350-400 visitors estimated.

There was a great reception for the works and I had a great chat about the processes and the artistic life with the visitors, all over some nice wines, beers and soft drinks. Thanks to the Arts Council, Limerick Arts Office and all involved.

‘Regia’ Group Show in Belltable Arts Centre, LImerick

Group exhibition with Carl Doran, Patrick Corcoran, Maurice Foley and Lawrence Weiner

Curated by Michele Horrigan

August 24th until October 13th

For this show, I will present Cáit’s Tale, a visual story of friendship, location and departure.

In 150 AD geographer Ptolemy, living in Alexandria, produced the earliest map of Ireland, directing humanity to a place called Regia, located at the same site as what is now known as Limerick City. As this settlement turned into the city of today, this group exhibition investigates aspects of Limerick’s urbanity, and wonders what kind of rumours Ptolemy might have heard. While the strange persistence of silence is typically an idyllic rural perception, this show considers the quiet stillness and possibility for contemplation contemporary urban life in Limerick can offer, as artworks by Patrick Corcoran, Carl Doran and Maurice Foley suggest. The show also incorporates a textwork by American conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner, located in an alleyway in Georgian Limerick.