Laois artist's work is inspired by Jesus
Exhibiting artist Anna Kupper pictured with her five-piece work titled The Choice of Decision, which portrays a positive and a negative side to the same woman with the choice of which to become being her decision to make Photos: Stan Henderson
THE FIRST art exhibition in Laois for 2025 was launched on Saturday 4 January in The Gallery of Divine Inspiration at Bloom HQ Mountrath with the unveiling of a vibrant collection of paintings by Anna Kupper in her first solo show in Ireland.
Originally from Budapest in Hungary, where she was a teacher, Anna moved to Portarlington in 2022 with her 15-year-old son. Six months later, having achieved a QQI level 6 qualification in childcare, she began work as an early-years educator in Portarlington.
Anna uses techniques that are different from the norm to create fluid paintings and she arrived at the launch to give a live demonstration to the gathering.
Putting on her apron, Anna got creative with a table that contained the tools of her craft, including silicone oil, Amsterdam acrylic paints, paint conditioner and a pouring medium. Once her canvas was covered with these materials, she used a blowtorch to raise bubbles on the work, then a hairdryer to spread the paint outwards. Next, Anna spun the canvas around on a cake stand until she was happy with the result.
Anna captivated her audience for almost half an hour as everyone watched with great interest.
One local woman said that she was drawn to the creativity of Anna’s work and could feel positive energy emanating from the paintings and from the artist herself.
Anna said she doesn’t know how each piece will turn out, but she feels her belief in Jesus adds to each outcome; therefore, she chooses a Bible passage to accompany each painting.
Speaking to the Laois Nationalist at the launch, Kevin McCann, curator of the Gallery of Divine Inspiration, said: “It’s a pleasure to host a lady who is just two years in Ireland and came here all the way from Hungary.
“The Gallery of Divine Inspiration is delighted to host Laois’s first art exhibition of the New Year, and to have the talented Anna Kupper as the first of 2025 is great. Anna has a distinctive style of how she works with acrylics mixed with silicone oil.
“Fair play to her for coming here today and giving a live demonstration for everyone, which was well worth watching. Her works stand to her and they are unique and different.” Anna’s wonderful collection is currently on display in Bloom HQ and will remain on show until the end of January.
The artist can be contacted by emailing kupperanna2@gmail.com, or text to 0857384909. For more information, contact Bloom HQ on 057 9300036 or check out Anna Kupper on social media.
