THERE may have been a court challenge this week to the result of last month's divorce referendum, but one woman in favour of the new status quo is Scottish born artist Janet Pierce. "I'm a living example of someone who has prospered from divorce," remarks Ms Pierce, whose latest exhibition of work was opened at the RHA Gallagher Gallery by Minister for Finance Ruairi Quinn last night. "I do think choice is very important," argues the painter, "because it gives dignity to the situation."
Formerly married to Fermanagh architect Richard Pierce, she subsequently exchanged vows with fellow artist Felim Egan under a tree in New York state in August 1993; after living in Edinburgh for some years following her divorce, she had decided to join Mr Egan in Dublin.
Initially, she says, returning to Ireland was difficult. "I came over here very reluctantly, but I'm glad I did so because now I'm happier than I've ever been. This is a society that embraces the imagination - here you're applauded for your creativity."
One reason for this new found contentment is that she and her husband finally have their Sandymount home to themselves; the youngest of her three children, 19 year old Marion, moved out last summer. "She wanted her independence and I wanted mine," comments Ms Pierce, who also gave up her job at Dublin's Douglas Hyde Gallery around the same time. Now, as guests invited to the house after last night's exhibition opening could see for themselves, the couple spend most of their time together. "It's like we've only just got married," says Ms Pierce.
