EMERGING ARTIST EXHIBITION: Andrew Hopkins
WHEN : Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th May, 12pm - 5pm daily
WHERE : Festival Site @ Abbey Grounds, Abbey Street
Andrew will be exhibiting a selection of oil on canvas pieces chosen from his upcoming submission to The Graduate Exhibition, the centerpiece of the National College of Art and Design’s calendar.
In keeping with Andrews’s inspiration, his work will be on display within the natural setting of the historic yew trees of the Abbey Grounds.
ANDREW HOPKINS - ARTIST STATEMENT
My work lies within the periphery of everyday landscapes, some local, some foreign, some found. I am interested in natures relentless pursuit to reclaim and re-wild locations abandoned by people or temporarily unused. Like a forager would source wasted spaces to harvest the wild goods that are first to root, I frequent these places to hopefully gather clues on how the slow regeneration takes place, finding compositions in arrangements of objects and angular lines, layers of overlapping buildings and the organic matter that takes advantage of the neglected places in between.
The sheep are on their way!
Maeve has a degree in Textile Design, a Higher Diploma in Art and Design Education and a Masters in Visual Arts Education. She works as a freelance educator, textile artist and crafter.She has many years’ experience teaching all ages and levels art and crafts with particular emphasis on textiles. Techniques included are dyeing, batik, stencilling, screen printing, painting and stitching. She has worked on several films including Saving Private Ryan doing dyeing and breakdown of costume. She has also worked in Theatre. Her art work has sold in retail outlets and exhibitions and has also been commissioned. She is on the education panel of the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and is a member of Visual Arts Ireland and TAG Tinahely Arts Group. In 2013 she completed a three month Artist Residency in John Muafangejo Art Centre in Windhoek Namibia. Mae Dec-Art 
Vartry Angling Club was set up in 1984, in the backdrop to Wicklow town at the Ashtown reservoir near the Wicklow rugby club, and has been promoting fly-fishing ever since. The woodlands surrounding the reservoir provides for an abundance of natural food, maintaining a stock of healthy fish. The club promotes an all-inclusive and friendly attitude with fly tying events, social events, barbeques, competitions and open events to members and the general public. With a plethora of experience, members are happy to advise any budding fishermen, share their passion and help you enjoy fly-fishing too. Facilities at the stocked private fishery include parking, picnic tables and maintained walkways around the reservoir through the adjoining woods. The facilities and fishery are maintained on a voluntary basis by the club. 
