‘New Beginnings’ inaugurates ‘Brigit 2022’ in paintings by seven women

by Kim Mullahey · February 9, 2022

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SEVEN recent schools of art graduates, all of them women have marked the inaugural ‘Brigit 2022: Dublin City Celebrating Women’ festival with a ‘New Beginnings’ exhibition at the Dublin Ireland municipal arts LAB Gallery hub, the exhibition to continue until Saturday 12 February.

‘Thank You’ by Sarah Beegan, a painting inspired by gratitude to Irish frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic

Sarah Beegan (left) was joined by her family at the ‘Brigit 2022’ exhibition, her mother Miriam Beegan, dad Derek and brother Derek

The exhibition is one of a variety of new programmes initiated by the city’s Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland to celebrate the festival of Imbolc, inspired by Celtic heritage recognising the contributions and achievements among women in all levels of society. The festival initiative precedes the launch of a new and recurring national holiday in honour of Ireland’s St Brigid, to begin on the first Monday in February 2023.

Recent art graduate Sarah Beegan was joined at the exhibition by for of her post primary school students, Lilyanna Healy (left), Ruby Kenny, Izzy Mclean and Emma Chambers

Artist Sarah Beegan wore a cape and face mask designed by Irish-American artist Jennifer Rothwell for the official opening of the ‘Brigit 2022’ exhibition

“This was one of the events that we had in ‘Brigid 2022: Dublin City Celebrating Women’ said Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland when she spoke with Pynck.com at the LAB Gallery. “I wanted to see the exhibition and support these amazing artists here. It will be up on our social media so lots of people will be able to come and see.”

All seven participating artists in the ‘New Beginnings’ exhibition come to their work at different ages and stages of their lives but share similar energy in their art careers. The exhibition features the work of Juliette Morrison, exhibition co-curator Karen Ebbs, Kym Tracey, Jessica Daly, Polly Maher, Sarah Beegan and Shannon O’Reilly, and is co-curated by Sheena Barrett.

Exhibition co-curator and LAB Gallery director Sheena Barrett (right) greeted post-priimary school students of participating artist Sarah Beegan, who visited the exhibition

‘Brigit 2022’ co-curators Sheena Barrett (l-r) and Karen Ebbs with Sarah Beegan with her painting, ‘Faith’

Commenting on her work in the exhibition participating artist Sarah Beegan said: “I took some photographs and I painted from the photographs I had edited. I tried to give a sense of hope. Taking the photographs while I was in hospital was very inspirational.”