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OPEN 08, STUDIOS, TALKS & WORKSHOPS

Backwater Artists Group and Cork Printmakers
Wednesday 19 November – Wednesday 26 November 2008

Backwater Artists Group and Cork Printmakers will be opening their doors to visitors from Wednesday 19 to Wednesday 26 November.

OPEN 08, a collaboration between Backwater Artists Group and Cork Printmakers, is an annual opportunity for all to visit the studios and workshops of these two Cork-based arts organisations. This eight day event includes open studios where visitors can experience the working space of artists, exhibitions, printmaking demonstrations and artists’ talks. Guided tours are available throughout the week (except weekend).

OPEN 08 will be officially launched on Saturday 22 November at 12 noon on the first floor landing.

On Saturday 22 November there will be an opening reception with tea and cakes at 12 noon followed by an afternoon of artists’ talks given by Lisa Fingleton, Olivia Hassett, Tanya O’Keeffe, Mags Geaney, Amanda Rice, Eveleen Murphy, Elayne O’Connor, Fiona Dowling and Johnny Bugler, running from 1pm to 4.15pm. Print demonstrations in Photo-Screenprinting (1pm), Relief Printmaking (2pm) and Lithography (3pm) are also on offer. An exhibition of work by Backwater Artists Lisa Fingleton and Fiona Dowling will be on show all weekend and then by appointment until 20 December. Cork Printmakers will also host an exhibition of artists’ work in the second floor printroom (except Sunday). The events continue on Sunday 23 November with three print demonstrations, Etching (2pm), Screen-printing (3pm) and Mezzotint (4pm). Booking is essential for tours and print demonstrations as places are limited.

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC.

Background
Backwater Artists Group was founded in 1990 by graduates of the Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork. It is an artist-run organisation dedicated to providing studios of a professional standard for visual artists; that also includes access to computer, framing and photography facilities, all of which are vital for the establishment of a professional art practice. There are a total of twenty-seven studios, twenty-one of which are devoted to Painting/Mixed Media and 6 to Sculpture, facilitating artists from the more established to the emerging. In keeping with the ethos of the organisation two six-month Ciarán Langford Memorial Bursaries are awarded to graduates of the Crawford College annually which aims to ease the transition from student to professional artist.

Cork Printmakers is a permanent, non-profit making fine art print workshop providing facilities, materials, support and artistic opportunities for both established and emerging artists. Activities include national and international exhibitions of members’ work, comprehensive adult education and artist-in-school programmes, as well as public lectures and artist residencies. Cork Printmakers offers bursaries to graduates in Crawford College of Art, Waterford Institute of Technology and Limerick School of Art which range from full membership to free participation in the educational programme. The workshop currently facilitates over ninety member artist/printmakers. An ongoing and changing programme of framed and unframed work is on show on the second floor, and opens to the public all year round.

Both Backwater Artists Group and Cork Printmakers are located in the refurbished 19th century warehouses at Wandesford Quay along with The Fenton Gallery, situated between Sharman Crawford Street and Clarke's Bridge. Five minutes walk from Patrick Street.

For further information and/or images please contact:
Clare Hennessy/Frances O Connor
Cork Printmakers
Tel.: 021 432 2422 / info@corkprintmakers.ie / www.corkprintmakers.ie

Elaine Coakley/Kathleen Hurley
Backwater Artists Group
Tel.: 021 496 1002 / admin@abackwaterartists.ie / www.backwaterartists.ie
Wandesford Quay, Clarke’s Bridge, Cork, Ireland