Laois painting to feature on New York billboard

A VIVID painting by a Laois artist will feature on a giant billboard in New York’s Times Square next week.

Portlaoise artist Aileen Donovan will enjoy a large bite of the Big Apple on Monday 20 July, when her work will be showcased in the world-famous square.

Aileen is buzzing that a mural she created for the Laois Beekeepers’ Association will be seen by thousands of people in the heart of New York, giving her work priceless exposure.

She said: “I've never had an opportunity like this before and I am very happy to grab it.” 

 Aileen is among 40 international artists selected to have their work highlighted on a billboard in Times Square in just one day.

Her painting titled ‘Saint Gobnait and the Beekeepers’ will feature on a grid, with Gobnait No 22 on the grid. It will flash up on a big billboard on rotation 22 times during the day.

A visual artist who previously focused on furniture upcycling , Aileen works mainly with a glue gun to build up a painting and give it an unusual 3D effect, which has attracted considerable attention and acclaim.

A few weeks ago, she received an email from Arrival Gallery, an international contemporary art organisation that hosts nomadic pop-up shows, digital showcases and public installations across New York and other major cities around the world.

The organisation invited Aileen to have one of her paintings featured alongside 39 other artists on the Times Square billboard. She applied and was thrilled to be successful.

Announcing the news on social media on 13 July, Aileen said : "I chose my painting ‘Saint Gobnait and the Beekeepers’ because, due to the amount of hot glue, the very colourful nature of the piece and my sheer love of stained glass, I thought it was a good representation of my work to showcase. It’s an all-rounder."

The large painting was completed for the Laois Beekeepers’ Association in 2024, as part of their Heritage through Art grant project supported by Creative Ireland Laois. Aileen worked alongside the group to create an intricate piece, which explores the history of beekeeping, for their headquarters in Abbeyleix.

As she loves stained glass, Aileen decided to explore Harry Clarke's St Gobnait, who happens to be the patron saint of beekeepers, when she was initially approached by the beekeeping group.

She explained: "The original stained glass window is in Ennistymon, Co Clare and when I saw it I thought it looked like it was surrounded by dots, so I continued the dots throughout the painting.

"I did my version of St Gobnait entirely in glue. In fact, every bit of the painting was done with glue.

“I incorporated the beekeepers going about their day, a wildflower meadow and the spire of the Church of St Michael’s and All Angels in Abbeyleix in the background.” 

Excited by the announcement that the work will feature in Time Square, Creative Ireland Laois said on social media on 14 July: 'Well done, Aileen. What great exposure for you and all the talented artists of Co Laois.'

Although she loved painting as a child, 30 years passed before Aileen returned to the world of art and creativity, initially through furniture upcycling. After attending Caroline Keane’s art classes at Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise, she discovered her true passion.

She said: “Because I have a crafts background I experiment with glue, modelling pastes and stencils if it suits the painting. I rarely use paint brushes unless I really have to, such as painting a portrait. Otherwise, I mostly use ripped up sponges and my fingers!”