The harpist Denise Kelly sat in an alcove playing away to her heart's content, while we viewed the work of Kathy Kissik.
"Art and music - they should never be apart," said Kelly excitedly. The exhibition, which is hanging at Number One Merrion Square, the childhood home of Oscar Wilde, drew art-lovers and friends of the US artist. Her new work, collectively called Taken by the Sky, is on view there for the next two weeks.
Aisling McCormick, with her friends, Haley Curran and Richard Lue, of Benetton and Sisley, all studied the black-and-white paintings. "My favourite is that - Rat Race," said Lue. "I like all the yellow cabs, the New York vibe - it's very modern." Kissik "is a legend", said Arthur Jerome, who presents a programme on Anna Livia, a Dublin community radio station at 103.2FM. His programme, Ad Lib, will be back next month, he added.
The legend herself was present too, back from Paris, where she has "just photographed the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, of course". Next it's off to Belfast, where her pieces go on view at the Cathedral Gallery in March. The work features one piece called November Yankee, a fusion of aircraft wreckage and aerial images that seemed to foreshadow the Twin Towers tragedy, she explained.
Mary Monahan, of the American College, which is based in the building, chatted to Ann Zagore, former president of the American Women's Club of Dublin. Others spotted at the opening were Andrea and Francisco Muniz and their little daughter Lucia Muniz (7 months) from Paraguay and John O'Neill from the Blackfort Organic Crafted Wooden Toys and Art Gallery in Crow Street, Temple Bar. Yes, they loved the work too.