Mountmellick Men's Shed ‘Picassos’ display their artistic talent

A CREATIVE and connective art exhibition featuring local forest walks, landmarks, bridges, scenic places, animals and imaginative cultural scenes of rural Ireland painted by a group of nine members of Mountmellick men’s shed following several blocks of art lessons through the Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) was launched in the local library on Tuesday 13 January.

The group of shed members who took part in the art lessons included Joe Turner, Shay Keenan, Joe Kelly, Ron Lalor, Christy Conroy, Owen McCann, Richard Whelan and twins Pat and Johnny Culleton.

Most of the group had never painted before and now their display of over 40 pieces proudly fills every wall in the three-roomed walkthrough art gallery in Mountmellick library.

Gillian Cunningham is the community education facilitator with the LOETB. At the launch, Gillian told the Laois Nationalist how the wonderful art exhibition came to be. She said: “We fund community groups in Laois and Offaly and we have groups in our further education centres and in the libraries and community centres across both counties. We work closely with the men’s sheds and Mountmellick men’s shed are very proactive. We also did a lot of woodwork with them through Jack Byrne and the men made lots of easels.

“Johnny Culleton approached our community educator Hazel Duffy and said that the men would like to do some painting and we had the ideal tutor in Billy Dollard. We knew that Billy would really get what they are about and he started working with them last year.’’ Johnny Culleton thanked everyone for coming along to the shed’s first art exhibition. He said: “On behalf of the Mountmellick men’s shed, I would like to thank everyone for coming this evening and I would also like to thank the girls from the LOETB for all of the help that they have given us throughout the year and the library staff for hosting us. I’d also like to thank Billy Dollard, who teaches our art lessons and Jackie Byrne, who does woodwork with us.

“Mountmellick men’s shed was formed back in 2011 and it has been a great success throughout the years. I’m very proud to be a part of it.” The manager of Mountmellick library, Amanda Hyland, also addressing the crowd, said that the library was delighted to host the men’s “wonderful exhibition” and congratulated them on a job well done.

The group’s tutor Billy Dollard was unable to attend the launch, as he was teaching another art class in Portlaoise on the night, but he met the men in the shed the previous Tuesday morning and then helped them to hang their paintings in the library. While in the shed that morning, Billy told the Laois Nationalist that he really enjoys working with the men and teaching them through acrylic paints. He said that they are a brilliant bunch of lads and that there is always plenty of banter. Billy added that halfway through the classes they always stop for a while to have the “mandatory” tea and biscuits.

Billy was delighted that the men presented him with one of the easels that they had made during woodwork classes.

The art exhibition is well worth visiting and is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when people come together and encourage each other in a fun environment.

Mountmellick Men’s Shed can be found on Facebook and is located behind Mountmellick Community Arts Centre.