Kilkenny art gallery to exhibit work of local artist

Kilkenny's An Chéad Tíne Art Gallery is set to present 'Dueling with Ghosts', a powerful solo exhibition by Kilkenny-based painter Graham Carew. The exhibition opens at 7pm on Friday, May 30, and will run until Thursday, June 26. An opening address will be given by local artist Laurence O'Toole.

Graham Carew is a professional painter, born and based in Kilkenny. He has worked professionally since 2013, primarily in acrylics, with occasional use of mixed media. His expressive, large-scale works have been exhibited in Ireland, the UK, and the US.

In recent years, Graham has received funding and support from the Kilkenny Arts Office, Artlinks, Kilkenny Catwalk Artist, Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, and Kilkenny Carlow ETB. He was Director of The Artist in the Shop Window Project at Fogarty's in Castlecomer (2019–2022), and contributed as an artist to the Festival of Lights with Castlecomer Community School (2019), and Festival of Culture (2018 & 2019).

During his time in the US, Graham co-founded and was Art Director of Wall Poems, Inc., a nonprofit mural project in Charlotte, NC, creating over 20 public poetry-based artworks. He also served as Co-Director of Artspace 525 (2013–15) and Goodyear Arts (2015–18), where he was also the Lead Design Artist.

His US accolades include multiple grants from the Knight Foundation (2016, 2018, 2020), the 2015 Neighbourhoods in Creative Partnership grant, the 2018–19 Women’s Impact Fund Two-Year Grant, and the Arts & Science Council’s Cultural Vision Grant (2018).

KILKENNY SUSTAINABLE ART SHOW 2025

Earlier this month, An Chéad Tíne Art Gallery hosted the Kilkenny Sustainable Art Show 2025. Curated by Mary Doyle Burke, the exhibition opened as part of the Bealtaine Living Earth Festival and in partnership with @calmastwit at SETU, aligning with @national.biodiversity.week.

This year's exhibition brought together a rich range of voices and visions across disciplines, exploring sustainability through material, method, and message. Artist, lecturer and lead at NCAD Field Gareth Kennedy, officially launched the exhibition. The launch was followed by a moving poetry reading and refreshments.

An Chéad Tíne wishes to extend their thanks to all those who came and supported the show.