Bright, brilliant and thought-provoking

ON SHOW ‘Star’(detail) , Bridie Lally, on of the works being exhibited in ‘Landing’.

‘Landing’, an exhibition of work by arts groups Luisne Art Project and ScannΡn Technologies, in conjunction with the Western Care Association, will open upstairs in The Custom House Studios, Westport, this Thursday, March 10 at 1pm.  
Two well-known and high-quality arts disability groups, Luisne Art Project of Ballinrobe and ScannΡn Technologies from Ballina, have come together to see each other’s work hanging side by side and to celebrate their past collaborations.
The Luisne Art Project, a highly successful, nationally recognised arts programme for people with disabilities, was set up in December 2004 and is supported by Mayo County Council Arts Office and Western Care, with administrative support provided by Tacú, Ballinrobe Family Resource Centre.
The aim of the programme has been to establish a long-term art project of quality that responds to the talents and needs of the participants of the local Crann Mór Centre. It recognises the importance of art and creativity as a positive and powerful force in the lives of  individuals with disabilities. Luisne is based in a premises provided by Tacú, and the participants attend Luisne because they want to be there and enjoy the process.
Through the project, participants from Crann Mór Centre have seized the chance to explore their creative potential. The Luisne artists have attained a very high level of artistic excellence in a variety of arts practices, including painting, print, mosaic, three-dimensional work, animation and creative writing.
The group has held many high-profile exhibitions – in The National Museum of Ireland –Country Life; The Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar; University Hospital Galway; The Custom House Studios, Westport – as well as several local exhibitions.
The Luisne artists continue to collaborate with other artist groups, Men’s Shed groups and student groups throughout the county.
Many will be familiar with ScannΡn Technologies’s recent and hugely successful collaboration with Western Care’s Ridgepool Training Centre, which resulted in the film ‘Silent Moves’. Inspired by the classic silent movies of the 1930s, the era of Buster Keaton, Clara Bow and Charlie Chaplin, it was shot on location around Ballina. The film carried a strong message about disability, and melded together mime, music and movement with new green-screen technologies and the latest animation techniques to much acclaim nationally.
In ‘Landing’, the Luisne artists will be showing recent paintings, drawings and prints. Also on show will be an iStop-motion film created collaboratively by ScannΡn Technologies and Luisne Art Project, as well as another ScannΡn film. ‘Landing’ is a bright, brilliant and thought-provoking collection of work, and all are welcome to attend the opening.

The paintings, drawings and film will be on exhibition at The Custom House Studios, Westport Quay, from March 10 to April 10.