An exhibition of contemporary Irish art, entitled "Sean McSweeney and Friends", should attract much interest at this year's Boyle Arts Festival.
Recognised as one of Ireland's leading artists, McSweeney selected the works himself. While all the 38 artists featured could not strictly speaking be described as "friends", they are all people whose work he "sympathises with", artists he admires, he says.
The range of work is striking, from Patrick O'Reilly's Penguins to five of McSweeney's own landscapes to delicate portraits by Cherith McKinstry. The list includes Barrie Cooke, Basil Blackshaw, Melanie le Brocquy, Tony O'Malley, Mary Lohan and Nick Miller.
McSweeney's own May Day 2000, which is featured on the cover of the catalogue, is a wonderful example of his work. Unfortunately for those who might be able to afford it, it is one of the few "not for sale" works in the exhibition.
He says he always likes to make a May Day painting and it gives him great satisfaction when it is a success. "It is the day of the worker, and I believe in that," he says.
"Also, there is something special about May, and what is happening to the landscape."
He draws his inspiration, he says, from the bogland outside his doorstep in Ballyconnell, a coastal area in north Sligo. He refers to the two acres of bogland he owns as his "wild garden". He can state confidently that this was a wonderful year for wild flowers. May Day 2000 shows the delicate pink and white blossoms of the bog bean, one of the first flowers of the year.
"I am just delighted that I have that space that I can go to and get inspiration from," he says. He always takes a sketch pad as he walks through the land and he also takes notes.
"It is a certain light on the water that motivates you to make a statement."
Relocating to Sligo some 17 years ago was, he says, "a great move for my work" and mainly because of the light.
"You have the ocean reflecting light back up at you like a mirror."
Work he produced while living in Wicklow included mountains and hills, because he was looking up, but in Sligo he is looking down and the horizon has been cut out.
But he doesn't rule out "looking up" in Sligo at some stage and taking on the mountain that is the dominant feature of the local landscape.
"I keep looking up at Ben Bulben, but I am scared of it. I have done drawings and I hope to tackle it one day. It is a difficult shape to tackle, but when I am in the mood and it is in the mood, we will come together," he says.
The exhibition is showing at the Convent of Mercy sports complex. Its opening, which is also the official opening of the Boyle Arts Festival, is next Wednesday. The opening will be performed by the chairman of the Arts Council, Mr Pat Murphy. The festival runs until August 4th.
Each year some of the works featured in the exhibition are purchased for the Boyle Civic Collection. Since 1990, 89 works of contemporary Irish art have been acquired.
The only problem is finding a suitable venue to exhibit them. Most of those on display are in King House, but the space available can accommodate less than half of the collection.
Trustee Fergus Ahern says the aim both of the exhibition and the collection is to make visual arts more accessible and to give people an opportunity to see some of the best art in Ireland today.
The festival programme is also a credit to the small voluntary committee. It includes a reading by Seamus Heaney (Tuesday, July 31st), composer Elaine Agnew, tenor Peter Corry, pianist Una Hunt, Open Guerillas, and Alan Kelly and the Mosaic Band among many others.
There is also a range of events for children and, for salsa fans, the Night in Havana Orchestra play in the town hall on Saturday, July 28th.
This is a 20-piece band with vocals and salsa dancers and free dance classes are being held before the show.
Information on all events from: www.boylearts.com or email: info@boylearts.com Phone: 079-63085.