Since last autumn, the collective talents of KCAT and Colaiste Eamann Ris Callan have been probing these questions. The fabulously experienced artists of KCAT Studio, well known now through the recent Living Colour documentary on RTE, have been inspiring and supporting the students of Transition Year in the CBS to develop a vision of Callan 500 years from now, and to bring that vision to life in sculpture.

Next weekend, the Callan ++500 exhibition will present the work to the people of Callan and the general public. Taking place in the school itself, the show will feature the work not only of the TYP group, but of nearly a hundred other students: “The Transition Year Boys have acted as ambassadors for this project through the whole school, leading the other groups, from 1^st to 5^th years, in developing a coherent picture of the human being, the car, the home and the town of the future.” Said Jeffrey Gormly, who was enabled to co-ordinate this project through an Arts Council Artist-in-the-Community Scheme, administered by CREATE.

“And artists such as Andrew Pike, Sinead Fahey, Karl Fitzgerald and Declan Byrne have provided the creative mentorship to pull a big project like this together into a unique installation in the school. This project has been about cooperation, collaboration, and the unique environment of KCAT which allows for personal, social and community development through the medium of artistic activity.”

The exhibition opens in Colaiste Eamann Ris next Saturday at 6.30pm, followed by a Social Club. Anyone who remembers the TRASNA Festival Social Club that took place in the school back in 2007, described as ‘one of the best things to ever happen in Callan’ will not want to miss this.

‘Campos de Castilla y otras Mitologías’ (Fields of Castile and other Mythologies) will be opening at the Sala de Exposiciones Palacio de la Audiencia in Saturio’s home city of Soria. It will run from March 16th to April 14th.

Paul Bokslag presents his papercuts at the Signal Arts Centre in Bray, Co. Wicklow the work can be seen between the 13th – 25th March.

Click on the image for a link to the gallery newsletter.

Many thanks to Eileen Curtis CEO Co. Kilkenny VEC and John Kavanagh, Vice Principal Ormonde College the students were delighted to receive their FETAC level 5 certificates and awards.
KCAT is a unique model of Further Education promoting inclusive education, where all ages and abilities learn together in a supportive, caring environment, the centre currently offers learners the opportunity to study Theatre at FETAC levels 3 and 4 and Visual Art at levels 3, 4 and 5. There are a range of learning options to suit, so please contact Noortje on 0567755115, or info@kcat.ie for further details.

At the tail end of 2011, KCAT studio artists Francis Casey, Declan Byrne, Mary Cody and Jack Foskin were selected for inclusion in the International exhibition ‘Museum of Everything #4′. The expansive exhibition took up residence in the lower floor of Selfridges department store on London’s busy Oxford Street, and their work was seen by thousands of visitors over the two month long show. The exhibition brought together diverse pieces from artist groups and studios from around the world and produced a thoroughly engaging and stimulating installation in which to house the stunning work.

Visit the MoE website here to read more  http://www.museumofeverything.com/exhibition4.php

Images courtesy The Museum of Everything 2011

Photography by Andrew Meredith

An Alternative History of Stone Age Man, according to Jack Foskin

b. 1987 Waterford.

Jack Foskin is a native of Butlers town Co Waterford, and has pursued and developed his passion for art and creativity since he left school in 2003 . After studying at Grennan Mill Craft School, he furthered his learning in KCAT Art and Study Centre in Callan where he studied fine art on the full time art courses and developed his painting skills. In 2007 Jack joined the studio group in KCAT. Following the inclusion in a range of group shows, he is now very excited to present his latest body of work in a solo exhibition titled ‘An Alternative History of Stone Age Man according to Jack Foskin’  at Waterford Central Library.

Since joining the studio group Jack has developed his own unique style of painting which is unmistakably his. His combination of layers and washes with a thick, impasto application of acrylic paint makes key elements of his canvases richly textured and almost three dimensional.

The subject of Jacks painting are just as curious as his technique as he has created an alternative history of stone age man. In the paintings there are images of four eyed people in their everyday activities  such as hunting, fishing, dancing and the playing of musical instruments in celebration. In this exhibition there are large canvases depicting the native animals that the four eyed people hunted such as woolly rhinoceroses, elk, woolly mammoths, giant birds and fish. Jack has also devised a map of where these four eyed people live so the viewer can have a broader understanding of their existence.

This alternative world has slowly developed by Jack over the past 3 years, his imagination being fuelled by his love of comic books, graphic novels and science fiction novels. He has had a life time interest in history and anthropology and animal life. Other strong influences are tribal art and outsider art, all of which is visible in the Alternative History of Stone Age man.

The Annual Abhainn Rí festival in Callan got off to a fantastic start this weekend with a series of stunning exhibitions. Throughout Callan there was a visual feast as an evening of openings flowed beautifully. Two KCAT studio artist openings, a sculpture show featuring George McCutcheon, Karl Fitzgerald, Andrew Pike, Jason Turner, and Jack Foskin, and a painting show by Mary Cody were both very well received.  Credit to Saturio Alonso and George for presenting the ‘Ytong Cloud’ in the workhouse so beautifully. A strong show of papercuts by Paul Bokslag  further strenghtened KCATs visual arts involvement in the festival.

Father and son team Peter and Jack Foskin, KCAT artists along with their tutor, artist Jean Conroy were commissioned to build a bear in Belvue secondary school in Northolt, London

The school caters for children with special needs and learning difficulties. The link between the two organisations has been growing in strength over the last three years.

The KCAT sculpture team have already built a life size horse made from Willow in the school grounds. Last year a school dog, a cat from wire and metal and a very flamboyant peacock were added.

This year the sculpture team returned and built a life size brown bear in a new forested area that the school has recently acquired. The bear christened “Hawthorn” was constructed from young pliable hawthorn trees.

Led by tutor Jean Conroy, students on the FETAC Level 5 full-time course presented beautiful willow sculptures for the Crafts Council Garden at Bloom. They really enhanced the whole look and feel of the garden. It was a very successful event this year with over 90,000 visitors over the few days. The pieces were strategically placed at all of the entry points to the garden to give them maximum visibility and there was enormous interest in them from the public. Well done to all involved. More images of the Garden can be viewed by clicking on the link   http://gallery.me.com/ccoi#104526