On the draw

On the Town: The Coloured Stuff, an exhibition of work by Irish illustrators, opened in the Guinness Storehouse this week.

On the Town: The Coloured Stuff, an exhibition of work by Irish illustrators, opened in the Guinness Storehouse this week.

"I am quite amazed by the quality of the work," said artist Jim FitzPatrick, who opened the show. "The quality is staggering." The artist, who has designed record sleeves for Thin Lizzy and Planxty, is working with rock group The Darkness. The show at the Guinness Storehouse, he said, "was refreshing".

Organised by the Illustrators Guild of Ireland, the exhibition includes work by 38 of its members, and runs until Thursday next.

The Beeman of Orn by P.J. Lynch is one of the works on view. This is the cover artwork for a children's book written by Frank Shockton about an old man who chooses to live among bees and his quest to find his true identity.

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Cathy Dineen's work included a piece called Venus at Sceilig Rock.

Last week, the guild held its second Illustrators Guild of Ireland Awards with the top award going to Dublin-based Padhraig Nolan, who attended the exhibtion opening. Another participant was Brian Gallagher, who was there with his partner Mairéad McLoughlin.

Kevin McSherry, chairman of the Guild, says the IGI was established to support the development of illustration in Ireland.

Roger O'Reilly, another exhibitor in the show and co-curator with P.J. Lynch, said the show was an opportunity "to give illustrators exposure and to give the public the opportunity to see the original artwork".

The exhibition also features work by Peter Hanan, Anna Turpin, Barry Keegan, Karen Nolan and Joven Kerekes among others.

The Coloured Stuff runs until next Thursday. www.illustratorsireland.com