Affordable Art Fair set to take place at the Tea Houses in Kilkenny

The Tea Houses, Kilkenny, will welcome artist-curators Lukas Dwan and Michelle McMahon for a synergistic exhibition of affordable art, alongside artists talks and craft demonstrations this weekend.

“We are conscious of the cost of living here in Ireland, and that people don’t have a lot of money after paying out for the basics each week,” said Atelier Páipéar co-founder Lukas Dwan, speaking at the launch.

“We are also very aware of how visual art can boost your mood, how a piece of art can add to the aesthetics of your home whilst simultaneously making it seem more calm and inviting. So, we decided to host an affordable art fair, to make buying art more affordable for everyone.”
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The weekend-long fair will run from October 10-12, showcasing a selection of drawings, paintings, encaustics and fine art prints by 30 individual artists based in Kilkenny.

The organisers are encouraging people to come along to the opening night on Friday at 5pm to snap up a gem at bargain prices while enjoying an evening of music provided by Tea Houses’ resident artist Kieran Kehoe.

Michelle said that the idea came about after visiting an elderly friend in a care home last year.

"I was pretty surprised to see that there was no art hanging on the walls in her room, just a TV blaring out ads as she lay there on the bed in poor health," she said.

"I wanted to bring in some paintings of birds that I knew she loved so much and would no doubt brighten her living space. This experience got me thinking about the large number of prints that I had at home in the cupboard, boxed away, gathering dust. We artists love to make art but we can be pretty bad at selling ourselves!” she laughed.

“So, we have decided to ask all the participating artists to donate a piece of their handiwork to a nursing home or women’s refuge, in addition to selling their art at the Affordable Art Fair.”

The weekend-long event promises to provide an insight into the vast array of art works being produced in Kilkenny. And it may tempt many a bargain hunter, art lover or Christmas gift shopper to buy their very own piece.

The organisers wish to express their gratitude to Tea Houses curator Rachel Botha and Kilkenny Arts Office for supporting the Affordable Art Fair.

Atelier Páipéar was founded by Callan-based artists Lukas Dwan and Michelle McMahon. Their creative partnership was sparked while studying Art Craft & Design at Grennan Mill over five years ago.