Munster Express
12th April 2002
Liam Murphy

On Friday 5th April the widow of the late Tom Clancy opened her own Gallery in her home at Mweelahorna in the Ring Gaeltacht beside the Cunnigar. A picturesque spot for a rather small upstairs gallery, but it is often in these out-of-the-way centres that you can find surprisingly fine art.

Inside the glass entrance door a portrait of Tom Clancy in a Brendan Behan pose looks out over the view. The inaugural exhibition Spring Sky feature the diverse work of Joan's daughters Blawnin and Rayleen. Rayleen's work features teenagers on the verge of development; on the margins of becoming streetwise and sassy with lots of attitude and she paints with that self-same provocative style, very contemporary American application of paint and setting with additional touches of acrylic glitter.

DIVAS dominates the space with two knowing young faces - that knowledge before adulthood - with glitter in their fair and flanking hair. But it is the eyes that catch you like the canvas GAZE at the top of the narrow stairs. The impact of WAR PAINT and GLOSS as girls apply lipstick is as hands on hips, afraid of nothing, except when you look into the eyes. Rayleen Clancy catches the self-conscious, the self-awareness of youth so well.

Blawnin Clancy works in a different way to portray images of sea, sky and water suffused with light and rocks and shadows and private pools of discovery. Her chance of colour is contemporary with purple rocks and layers of lines of blues. She manages a vibrant shimmer of blue tones on water that merges into the shadow and shade of sandstone rocks. Visit the gallery and contrast the colour effects of THE DIVING ROCK and SHIMMER with BELOW THE SHORELINE and AFTER THE TIDE.

The exhibition runs until 19th April, open each day 11 to 6. Visit the area, go and see the Gallery and make an afternoon of it.