Ingrid Lyons, Lesley Ann O’Connell, Kathy Tynan—First Awake Moment

First Awake Moment documents a period in time in which Ingrid Lyons, Lesley Ann O’Connell, and Kathy Tynan have been independently focusing on and developing their painting and drawing practices. This exhibition acts as a pause for contemplation and recognition of the past year and reflects on things learned, forgotten, lost, and discovered.

While there are signs of doubt, anxiety, and awkwardness in each of the artists’ works there is a mutual understanding of nature and landscape, home, the familiar and the everyday, memory, and friendship. First Awake Moment provides a space for all of these elements to come together and to be considered in this way for a brief moment in time.

The artists would like to extend a very special thanks to our friend and colleague Michael Hill, for his support and guidance throughout the planning of this exhibition.

Events

Biographies:

Ingrid Lyons’ drawings describe a personal and contemporary experience of landscape and place. Hazy views recalled from the windows of moving cars and trains are rendered with intimacy and intricacy but they remain atmospherically remote, ghostly, and impermanent. This feeling of movement and passing time creates distance between the viewer and the remembered scenes, heightened by layers of cinematic shadow and light. The places and situations in Lyons’ drawings hint at a search for belonging from a position of uncertainty and detachment. Lyons is currently undertaking the Art in the Contemporary World MA at NCAD.

Lesley Ann O’Connell’s paintings begin with acts of rigorous looking and focused observational drawing. A process of decision making that is intuitive and fluid emerges with the introduction of paint, and the outside world becomes internalised, surrendering to a multitude of textures and colours. The latest of O’Connell’s paintings document the transitory phase of a return to the family home - an environment in which surrounding objects can be at once familiar and alien. The patterns of a carpet or the way light falls in a certain room are among the many influences that form a wealth of conflicts and sensibilities. O’Connell is currently undertaking an MFA at NCAD.

Kathy Tynan makes energetic and compassionate paintings of friends and places of personal significance. Frozen within a moment, figures and buildings merge into their surroundings as the wind whips up leaves and clouds career and swirl through the sky. Tynan’s concentrated yet carefree technique allows essence, mood, and affection to emerge from sometimes unintentional gestures. By embracing these imperfections and uncertainties, the heart of her subjects is revealed, and a more open and magical experience within each moment blooms. Tynan is a resident artist in Pallas Studios.

Please use the following contact details for any enquiries:

Michael Hill - thatmichael@gmail.com
Ingrid Lyons - ingridlyons@hotmail.com
Lesley Ann O’Connell - ilikeirishweather@gmail.com
Kathy Tynan - kathy.tynster@gmail.com