Sunset Picture taken by Susie Hailes Harkin in Rosbeg Donegal. A thing of beauty
The Magic Of Theatre
The Most Magical Library of the Best Stories Ever
If you can, grab your coat and your children and head for C.S.Lewis Square in East Belfast and go to this show, this is the last day and there are performances at 12.noon, 2 p.m. 3.30 p.m. and 5 o’clock.
I went along on Friday morning and it was a treat. It’s not every day you meet a comely Elf and Finn the Fawn in the same room. That’s the beauty and the magic of theatre, especially children’s theatre. The C.S Lewis Festival opened this morning (Friday) with Alice McCullough’s ‘The Most Magical Library of the Best Stories Ever’. As the primary school children arrived at the big blue building in the Square they were met by these two happy spirits and the story begins to unfold with the help of Foxy the puppet and his mate the literary dragon. We meet the good Literary Fairy in the library and she’s about to read us a story, but – what’s this? There are no words on the page, they are blank because they have all been hijacked by the evil Snow Queen so it’s up to us to save as many letters as possible to keep the Christmas stories safe and sound. From the library where the play starts we follow the fairy into her bedroom where she tells us how she has grown to become life-size instead of fairy size and she’s so worried about the awful Snow Queen; she gives us all a letter to put into the wishing well and so keep the library open and the stories in the books. Then we’re on the move again, down a colourful corridor between Christmas trees, past the dolls house, past the whispering village, past the factory where baby teeth arrive after being put under the pillow. Here they are covered in glitter to become beautiful things.
Suddenly we’re in the presence of the Snow Queen with a huge pile of shredded paper beside her – all the words she has stolen, she’s allergic to Christmas so there was colourful wrapping paper in there somewhere. No wonder some of the little ones were frightened, she called them ghastly human children but one little boy wasn’t having it, he went right up to her and waved a fist! We didn’t stand long watching her rant and rave, next stop on our walking tour was to meet Augustus the Troll in his colourful garden, huge flowers and a wishing well where all the children were invited to throw in their letter and make a wish. I was so taken up with the whole thing I had no hesitation throwing in my ‘E’ and making my own wish.
Having successfully thwarted the Snow Queen, the Literary fairy lay down in the magic flower bed to become fairy sized again and we moved onto the final room in this wonderland where Father Christmas and his wife were waiting to give each child a present before they went home full of chat about their magical morning.
For tickets phone 028 9024 6609
What a week dominated by Prince Andrew. I listened to his interview and then I played it again without the sound and it’s fascinating to watch his face and his body language – insincerity is dripping from every pore. I have never liked the man, smooth as a badger’s bottom, superior and devoid of humour. Then I met him. It was a garden party at Hillsborough and on his way round he stopped to talk to me and to Adrienne Catherwood, Miss Adrienne of Romper Room days. He was fascinated to discuss television and quizzed us about our thoughts on the standards of programmes, he said was worried about his two girls at home, what they were seeing and the violence that was portrayed and the bad influence on young people. This was some years ago but still I think his girls were old enough to know right from wrong. However, he engaged in conversation for so long that an aid had to come and move him on and once he left us I suddenly thought, I don’t like that man but he’s very charming and interesting I might change my mind! However, I didn’t and I am quite sure I won’t now.
One thing disturbed be about the coverage of this disaster for the Royal family and that’s the obvious delight of some of the commentators. Yes it’s a big story but to glory in it so obviously is distasteful. Nolan sounded excited as he went through the interview almost line by line and had ‘experts’ to analyse them and really it became tedious. There were others too who just went over and over the interview and really nothing was resolved by doing so. This story has ‘legs’ and there will be many more revelations in the future, I hope it will be covered with some degree of professionalism.
Tim Shaw is one of the UK’s foremost artists, he has exhibited his work all round the world, has had residencies and fellowships in London, Greece, Spain, Ireland and Germany and is one of the youngest members of the Royal Academy of Arts. This country’s foremost artist was in Dublin to give a lunchtime lecture in Dublin City Gallery and then travelled to his home town to give an illustrated talk at the Ulster Museum last Thursday a rare opportunity to meet this highly regarded sculptor and have the opportunity to hear how he determines his subjects and the deep meaning behind all he creates. It was fascinating.
Tim discovered his love for sculpture in Enniskillen when, at Portora Royal school, his art teacher introduced him to clay and at 14 his life took on a new meaning.
Since then he has worked in a multitude of materials including bronze, copper even black plastic.
Tim studied art at Manchester Polytechnic and Falmouth School of Art graduating with First Class Honours in Fine Art, in 1989. After a spell working in Bristol as a restorer of buildings and sculpture, he devoted himself to sculpture full time and now lives on a farm near Falmouth where he has his studio.
His work has always been controversial with a political edge including his most recent international solo exhibition Beyond Reason, at San Diego Museum of Art that explores themes of global terrorism, freedom of speech, abuse of power and artificial intelligence. His outstanding installation Casting a Dark Democracy, was described by the Financial Times as “The most politically charged yet poetically resonant new work on show in London. Casting A Dark Democracy is one of too few works to engage unequivocally with the reality and human cost of the Iraq war ”.
Important Installations
Mother the Air is blue, the Air is Dangerous, highlights the horror of being caught up in a bombing in Belfast and another caused a great deal of debate and controversy, the powerful and hard-hitting Alternative Authority. This work he fashioned from accounts of tarring and feathering which took place here during the 1970’s, a form of public humiliation as Shaw notes: “Used to enforce unofficial justice or revenge, a metaphor for severe public criticism with earliest written accounts date back to 1189.
Growing up in Northern Ireland, everyone was affected by violence; we knew about knee capping, the shootings and bombings, the alternative authority. Somehow the punishment of tarring and feathering occupies a more dreadful place in the collective mind.”
The Wellington Boot
An essential for visitors to Venice as waters rise to a 50 year high, in Australia fire surrounds Brisbane where Candy Devine contacted me to say she could smell the smoke carried by the wind. “The sky is a murky grey and there’s a low lying haze. It’s very still and hot, scary”. Letitia Fitzpatrick who lives near Sydney reports that the bushfires are both frightening and heartbreaking. And what’s happening in England as cold and dirty water wipes out homes, businesses and farms. Not much colour to look forward to in the coming months.
Expect for Dermot Cavanagh
Dermot is offering two three day watercolour courses in January concentrating on flowers and fruit all undertaken in his lovely studio in The Moy near Dungannon. I’ve been to his classes and I was thrilled how he uncovered my latent talent and as a result I began painting for myself with some success. I was a beginner mixing with proper artists but I was made welcome and encouraged and it was fun. All painting materials are provided and accommodation is available locally on your request. Pre-booking is essential. Price £199.00.
Dermot became well known when he took a number of celebrities and drew out their talent for watercolours and this they did on camera for the BBC. Despite it being 20 years ago people still remember Gloria Hunniford and Barry McGuigan heads down in concentration ending up with a painting well worth framing. Since then Dermot has built on this success and brought art to people all over the world and now, not only is he offering classes locally but next year he’s inviting people from other countries to come to Northern Ireland.
“During my painting course tours in the UK lots of my guests say they’ve never been to Northern Ireland so next year I am offering art enthusiasts the opportunity to join me on five night painting tours to experience a taste and flavour of this unique area.”
The tour includes a three day painting courses with all materials and lunch provided, two guided sightseeing tour days including a visit to the Titanic Experience. He’s a one man tourist board!
“This beautiful region is a hidden gem and is now starting to get the attention it deserves,” he told me. His students will stay at The Ryandale Hotel in Moy, his home village, and all internal mini-bus transfers and excursions are included in the tour. “Evening dinner and entertainment excursions will help our guests discover the local hospitality and culture of the region and I hope they will take this experience back home with them and spread the news of what we have to offer.”
You might like to encourage friends to take up this exciting adventure. Included in the price of £659 is private internal transfers, five nights accommodation, three days painting tuition, all materials, three lunches, sightseeing excursions and a welcome drinks reception.
“Please do not hesitate to call me for more information.” Dermot invites, “or to make a booking: 0044 2887 784166.”
www.learntopaintwithdermotcavanagh.com
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