Ballinasloe artists' group gearing up for Culture Night exhibition

For its twelfth outing, Ballinasloe-based artist collective Group 8 will hold the opening of its annual exhibition, EIGHT, on Culture Night, Friday September 23, at 7pm, in Artisan Alley at the Town Hall Theatre, Ballinasloe.

The exhibition will run from 11am until late on Friday, and from 11am to 6pm on Saturday, and will feature writing, paintings, wood turning, textiles, photography, ceramics, mixed media, and sculpture.

The opening will be by Cllr Dr Evelyn Parsons.

EIGHT is the result of collaborative work the members of Group 8 undertook, taking inspiration from the figure 8 itself, its symbolism and meaning; from the idea of the number eight as representing infinity; and/or from working within the parameters of producing eight pieces of work.

As always, each artist or writer was free to interpret the theme in whatever way they chose.

Group 8, founded in 2009, and now expanded from its original cohort of eight members, is comprised of ten visual artists and two writers.

They are: Joyce Little (visual and multimedia artist); Tommy Campbell (sculptor and woodturner); Lily Kelly (visual artist); Grellan Ganly (visual artist); Úna Spain (visual artist); Nuala O’Connor (writer); Zara Little-Campbell (writer); John Soden (painter); Walter Coughlan (ceramicist); and Fiona Ormsby (textile designer). The group recently welcomed a brand new member, painter Fiona Moore.

Group 8 is a non-profit, professional arts group who came together in Ballinasloe to foster awareness, imagination and co-operative learning between the artist and the community. The group hosts exhibitions, literary events, artist talks, readings, workshops, and book launches.

All are welcome to the opening and to visit the EIGHT exhibition across the two days.

Admission is free, and refreshments will be served on Culture Night.