Smiles all around at the Kevin Lowery Gallery for Friday night’s exhibition launch

The Kevin Lowery Gallery was abuzz with excitement on Friday night as part of this year’s Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival.

The gallery opened its latest exhibition, “Between Land and Sea: Reflections on the North West Coast,” showcasing the work of 10 talented local artists. An open call was issued in early August, inviting artists from the Donegal, Leitrim, and Sligo coastlines to submit pieces inspired by the exhibition’s theme. These three counties, united by their shared Atlantic shoreline along Donegal Bay, have long captivated and inspired generations of artists.

Gallery owner and artist Kevin Lowery, curator Shannon Carroll and Donegal Arts Officer Traolach O'Fionnán

The event attracted a friendly and enthusiastic crowd, eager to view the diverse array of artwork, enjoy a glass of wine, engage in conversations, and meet the artists themselves. Shannon Carroll, the gallery manager and curator of the exhibition, officially opened the event. In her opening words, she highlighted the gallery’s proximity to the sea and the North West coastline's profound influence on the traditions of local communities and creative talent drawing inspiration from this distinctive landscape.

Donegal Arts Officer and Festival organiser, Traolach Ó Fionnáin, also attended the opening, taking the opportunity to meet the artists and celebrate the success of the event. The exhibition features over 20 stunning artworks, including paintings, photography, sculpture, and prints; all of which are available for purchase.

The artworks beautifully capture the wild beauty of the coastline and its unique locales. Gallery owner and artist Kevin Lowery’s paintings capture the vibrant hues of sunset in "Luminous Rossnowlagh" and a smaller, yet equally vivid piece "Killybegs" depicts fishing trawlers at the harbour. Jonathan Ball’s hand-blown glass pebble forms reflect the dynamic energy of the Atlantic, which is also embodied in Gavin McCrea’s expressionist abstract pieces inspired by the sea and surf.

Other works highlight specific locations, such as Darragh Gorman’s striking photograph "Port" near Glenlough Bay and Aisling Clarke’s print, “Fern, Benwishkin and Surf.” The local fauna of Donegal Bay comes to life in pieces like Lisa Callaghan’s print, “Erosion,” Vicky Crawford’s pair of prints, “Curlew” and “Corncrake,” and Christine Harrison’s solarplate etchings of “Spiny Starfish” and “Crystal Jellyfish,”. ”The flora of the coastline is also represented in Rory Gill’s painting series, “Sand Dune Pines Living with the Wind,”and Concepta Boyce’s graphic print series, “Mullaghmore Tree Flower,” which invites viewers to discover a hidden landscape subtly integrated into the digitally drawn flowers.

For more information on the exhibition, please refer to the Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival’s programme or visit the gallery’s website. This exhibition is not to be missed, offering free entry, free parking at the Bundoran Retail Park, and a diverse collection of artworks that promise something for everyone. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm until Sunday, October 13.