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Montana Art Well-Received in Ireland- Exhibit organized by the Montana World Trade Center
An exhibit of Western art, organized as part of Montana World Trade Center efforts to foster trade relations with Ireland, will open Friday, Oct. 3, at the Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff, Ireland.
The exhibit features work by nine noted Montana artists: Cathy Weber, Marc Bohne, Russell Chatham, Monte Dolack, George Gogas, Kent Lovelace, Davi Nelson, Kevin Redstar and Larry Pirnie.
The exhibit debuted in Dublin, Ireland, over the Fourth of July weekend. Geoff Sutton, a former Missoula art gallery owner who helped arrange the exhibit for the MWTC, said the event has been well-received, with museum curators from across Ireland expressing interest in hosting the exhibit.
Current plans call for the art show to travel from Ballyjamesduff to Limerick, Ireland, for a Nov. 4 opening. Then in January 2004 the exhibit travels to Sligo, Ireland.
“This has been an exciting endeavor for us,” Sutton said. “We sold 15 percent of our paintings on the opening night in Dublin, and the interest has continued to intensify. There is genuine interest in Western art among serious collectors in Ireland.”
Artist Cathy Weber of Dillon will travel to Ballyjamesduff to be present for the opening reception, where she will give a lecture titled “A Sense of Place.” She also will spend two days working with Irish schoolchildren.
The exhibit is part of MWTC endeavors to generate trade relations between Ireland and companies throughout the Rocky Mountain region. A delegation of companies, accompanied by staff from MWTC and Rep. Denny Rehberg’s office, participated in a trade mission to Ireland in early July.
The mission has resulted in more than $2 million in sales so far, including eight pieces of artwork.
“We are extremely optimistic about the potential to increase exports to Ireland and Europe as a whole,” said Arnie Sherman, MWTC executive director. “Common ancestry, similar geography, shared language and other factors contribute to making Ireland an ideal market for products from this region. We have had interest in everything from our food products to handmade furniture, sporting goods and art.”
MWTC is a nonprofit organization that helps businesses establish and strengthen their international commercial capabilities. For more information, visit http://www.mwtc.org or call (406) 243-6982.
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